Out of the Blue
by Stuart James
Summary: These will be one-shots and scenes that don't really fit into 'Blue', but I thought were interesting/amusing. Some are outside the main 'Blue' stories, others run along side but not necessarily linearly.
1. Chapter 1

Shepard returns to the ambassadorial bar to give Nassana Dantius the news about her sister, passing the office of Executor Pallin. As usual, the Executor's door automatically swishes open and he looks up from his desk to just catch someone passing, feeling the draught from the doorway rush against his face. He bangs his fist on his desk.

"That's it!" he shouts, then frantically presses at buttons on his console.

"Presidium maintenance?" a voice comes over the console.

"I need someone to come and fix this damn door! Opening. Shutting. Opening. Creating a draught. It's driving me to distraction!"

"Ah, Executor Pallin. Didn't we come out to you last week, sir?"

"Yes. Whatever they did didn't work. Again." Pallins voice is filled with tired annoyance.

"The P5-X door sensor is galactic standard, sir. It's already on it's lowest sensitivity setting, and I believe Watts hotwired his own circuitry in there to lower it further. We tried replacing the door with to a manually operated, but the Keepers just came along and changed it back. There's not a lot more we can do in that location, sir. The through traffic to and from the ambassadorial bar is just unavoidable."

"Bah!"

Pallin closes the channel with a heavy hand. The door opens once more as Shepard passes by again.

"Curse you!" Pallin shouts as he stands, shaking his fist.

Shepard leans back to pop her head around to see who is shouting.

"Uh. Me?" she asks, confused.

"Oh. Shepard. No. The door. It's overly sensitive. Never mind. Carry on."

He straightens his body to a military stance before sitting back down in his chair, attempting to regain some composure.

"Oh yea. I can see how that'd be annoying." Shepard says, now mock assessing the door.

"Indeed."

"Opening and shutting all day."

"Yes."

"Creating a draught..."

"Hmm."

"Sitting here all day, 'Oh is that a visitor? No, it's just someone going to the bar. Again.' That'd get really annoying after a while."

"Please, Commander. Don't let me stop you from whatever important business you are no doubt conducting at the moment."

"Indeed. Some of us worry about doors and some of us worry about the fate of the galaxy. See ya, Executor, good luck with your door."

Shepard continues on her way and the door shuts, the Executor further enraged by her facetious comments. A moment later the door opens again and Shepard stands there with a wicked grin.

"You're right. It is really sensitive."

Then she runs off like a naughty schoolgirl, with Liara laughing from down the corridor.

"Gah!" the Executor exclaims.

* * *

"Auto-turrets?"

"Executor!" Councillor Tevos admonishes, sitting at her desk in the asari ambassadorial suite.

"It'd stop the Keepers from 'fixing' it at least."

"Really, Executor. We do not have the time right now to be reallocating offices. You will just have to make do. Once the Saren and geth threat is under control, we can re-visit your request. I am sure that you understand that the current threat outweighs a little inconvenience such as this."

"For thirty years I've dedicated my life to C-Sec and the safety of the Citadel and I have to sit in a draughty office, with a malfunctioning door next to a bar. Bah!"

"Do not demean yourself, Executor. Do you really think such things important? All the species of the Citadel respect you. Was your opinion not sought during the investigation into Saren and many times before? And now you wish for an ivory tower to conduct your work from?"

"Not if it's a draughty one with a faulty door..."

"Executor!"

"Yes, yes." he says, annoyed that he cannot disagree with the asari councillor and that it is becoming evident he is not going to get his way. "I suppose I'll return to my office then."

"I am sorry but there is nothing I can do right now."

A slightly unhinged look comes across the Executor's face.

"You don't know what it's like. Sitting there, the door opening, shutting, the draught chilling my face each time, always wondering if it's actually a visitor, only to be disappointed as drunk privileged ambassadors fall past my doorway, it's... maddening..."

Tevos walks around her desk and places her hand on his shoulder, his head now dropped as he stares at the floor.

"When did you last take any leave, Executor?"

"What? I haven't taken any leave since... I don't know."

"Then I think it is high time you do, don't you?"

"Hm. It has been a while since I visited Palaven..."

"Excellent. Do you have family on Palaven?"

"But with everything that's going on, Saren, the geth, I can't just go on holiday."

"Oh I am sure we can survive for a couple of weeks."

"Couple of weeks? I was only planning a couple of days."

"However long, just forget about the Citadel for a while. Chellick is quite capable of filling in."

"Okay then. Thanks, Councillor. I've just a couple of things to do before I go."

"Of course. And I hope you have a pleasant trip."

* * *

As Pallin walks up the final few steps back to his office, two maintenance engineers are packing up their equipment outside his door.

"What's going on here?" he enquires.

"We've had another go at your door, Executor. Got the sensitivity way down now."

"Ah, excellent."

Their equipment gathered, the engineers head off down the corridor. Pallin walks to his door, which remains shut. He steps back and forth a few times then waves his hand at the sensor. Nothing. He sighs and his head lowers, then turns to head into the bar.


	2. Chapter 2

Seeking further information on the destroyers of the Normandy, a source has put Liara in touch with the leader of the mercenary group, Eclipse. They seem to have come to an arrangement over some information, then the leader has something further.

"We can do business, Doctor T'Soni. But first, a favour."

"A favour?"

"Call it an admission fee to my exclusive outfit."

"Go on." Liara says, annoyed but willing to hear Jona Sederis out.

"Have you heard yet of the Eclipse Sisters? Squads of asari biotics, it's our asari club within the organization. I find things work better that way. Less fraternizing, you know?"

"Biotic squads, hmm, sounds useful."

"Well, I have a squad who aren't doing so well. I think they'd benefit from some time with someone like you. It'd be a shame to have their contracts, hehe, 'terminated'. I just can't spare experienced Sisters to baby sit them right now. If you can turn them around, they won't have been a waste of time and resources. So, I've arranged a mission for you all."

"What kind of a mission? I'm not just going head first into a hornets nest."

"No, no. Just a bunch of deadbeat mercs who owe me. In and out, pop pop pop, nothing fancy. Walk in the park for the likes of you if your history is anything to go by, I think the girls seeing you in action would really help them."

"Let me meet the squad, then I'll give you my answer. I want to assess their capabilities."

"Fair enough, I suppose. There is one thing though."

"Isn't there always?"

"They'll expect you to be wearing Eclipse colours."

"So I have to wear your ghastly armour. So?"

"Well, normally, recruits have to earn that uniform by killing some poor son of a bitch."

"I am not shooting some random person you present to me just on your say so."

"No, didn't think you would. You've proved you're a killer in the past, Doctor T'Soni, I think we can forgo the formalities. You just have a story ready if they ask about yours."

"Hmm. I'm sure I can supplement a previous encounter."

"Good! Then it's settled!"

"If I approve the squad."

"Of course! That's what I meant."

It doesn't seem that long ago that Liara was with Verity, stopping groups such as these. But she thinks little of working with them now, she feels she has greater concerns. Every questionable act she takes, she justifies as she hopes it takes her closer to her quarry. Liara thinks she in control, but her doubts at the direction she has taken lurk, bubbling, waiting to spill over.

* * *

The group of four asari mercenaries are competent with weapons, but lack focussed biotic ability. The potential is there, Liara can see it, but they have not spent years honing their skills like she has. They could all could be quite gifted, if only they could get past their arrogance and actually put the effort in required to improve. Without effective biotics, these asari may as well be mercenary regulars, and the point of the their ordination into the Sisters lost. At the end of the third day of weak barriers and wobbly warps on the practice range of the Eclipse vessel, Liara stands in front of the squad.

"Right, where are you all going now?"

"Well, I don't about you guys, but I'm heading straight to the bar!" shouts Xa'Nea.

"Yea!" her comrades join.

"No!" Liara shouts. "I have direct authority from Jona. I want no drinking, no partying, just rest. Goddess knows you all need it. No wonder we're making no progress. And I want you all to have a good proper meal tonight, you can't produce effective biotics running on empty. Bulk up on calories, store up some energy. Have a good breakfast in the morning too."

"What is this? The Alliance? With all due respect, 'ma'am', fuck you."

The Eclipse girls laugh.

"Do you want Jona turning up here, wondering why you're making no progress? It's no skin off my nose. But do you think she's just going to pat you on the head, kiss you on the cheek and pack you off to mother's if you're useless to her?"

Liara throws a singularity at the practice targets, allowing them to be sucked into the vortex before throwing a warp to detonate the dark sphere, booming around the range.

"See? You can do that with just a little effort! Don't you want to?"

The girls make dismissive incomprehensible sounds then walk to the exit of the range. All except Wasea.

"I want to." she states.

"Good. Then maybe you can convince the others it's in their best interest too."

"That is not why, ma'am."

"Oh?"

"I really do want to learn how to harness my biotics better, and not just to get our illustrious leader off my back. Seeing you lash things around with yours, I would love to do that to some of the idiots I have met. We were poor when I was growing up on Omega, I wanted to go to a proper tutor when I was young but there was no chance there."

"I am here to improve a squad, Wasea, not become a personal tutor."

"Come on, ma'am, I can tell you're one of those do-gooder types. I can be your lost cause. What _are_ you doing here by the way? It is not just to train us reprobates, I do not think so. You're certainly not the mercenary type."

"I'm just here to help, that's all you need to know, Wasea. And for me to help you, please, go home, have a good meal, and go to bed."

"Okay, I will follow your 'brutal' regime, ma'am. But I had better start seeing results."

"Or what? You'll throw one of your banana shots at me? And only you can improve your abilities Wasea, I can only give guidance and hope you follow it."

"That is what I mean... I hope I see results. I am going back to my quarters then. Yes, to eat a good meal and rest. Goodbye, ma'am."

"Oh and Wasea?"

"Hmm?"

"Please, stop calling me 'ma'am', my name is Liara. I'm your instructor, not your commanding officer."

"Okay then, 'Liara' it is." Wasea says, seemingly quite pleased.

"'bye Wasea."

Wasea intrigues Liara a little. By the sounds of it, she had a difficult upbringing and certainly likes to act the hard knock, but she is well spoken and eloquent. Most asari who are brought up off-world pick up galactic inflections, but Wasea has retained, or possibly gained, an almost Thessian voice.

* * *

"I think you got all the targets in that singularity, Wasea." Xa'Nea says with surprise.

"Reckon you can detonate it?" Wasea posers to her colleague.

Xa'Nea's warp meanders towards the singularity, then peters out to nothing. Wasea does it herself and the targets fly around the range with a bang, not huge but certainly a great deal more than recent attempts.

"Wo! What did you have for breakfast?"

"That's actually a good question, Xa'Nea." Liara interrupts. "What _did_ you have for breakfast, Wasea?"

"Umm." Wasea says, a little embarrassed. "Some fruit and porridge."

"Good!"

"And what time did you go to bed last night?"

"Yea." says Xa'Nea. "You weren't at the bar last night."

"It was early enough."

"Sorry to put you on the spot there, Wasea, but the point I'm making is that after just two days of proper eating and resting, you can produce these kinds of results. Isn't that worth it, girls? Next time you're out in the field, rather than pot shots with your pistol, popping your head up and down every few seconds to take a shot, you work as a biotic team. A few singularities and warps or shock waves, devastating. I know you can do it."

"Really, Wasea? That's all you've done? Chow and down time?" Xa'Nea says suspiciously. "Your eyes say otherwise."

"Shut up!" Wasea says, almost pleading.

"What? What's going on? Wasea?" Liara asks.

"Maybe you haven't seen it before, but her eyes tell me, she's on red sand." Xa'Nea doesn't give Wasea the chance to explain herself.

"You bitch!" Wasea shouts at her smug looking squad mate then runs from the range.

"Hmm." Liara says. "I don't really know where Eclipse stands on this. I wouldn't recommend it personally, but..."

"That's one area where the Alliance and the mercenary groups agree, regular drug use is bad for business." Xa'Nea is happy to inform Liara.

"Oh. Hmm. And you seem awfully happy to have told me all this Xa'Nea. I hope that there is no bad blood in my squad."

"'Your' squad is it now? Anyway, she's been acting all high and mighty since you arrived. Putting on that stupid accent whenever you're around. She might speak better than the rest of us, but she lays it on thick for you. I keep expecting her to bring an apple for you. Haha!"

"Xa'Nea! Don't be mean. Wasea just wants to do well. She obviously was a little misguided in thinking red sand was the answer. I'll talk with her. And please, don't give her a hard time."

"Oh yes, ma'am." Xa'Nea says sarcastically. "Of course, ma'am. We'll be the best of friends and have a tea party, ma'am. Oh won't it be such fun!"

Xa'Nea's face turns to one of deadly seriousness and aggression.

"This is a mercenary group. If I don't trust a squad mate, that's that. I'm not playing nice just because some daddy's girl comes around here trying to throw her weight around. Wasea's an idiot, let her rot in red sand for all I care. Screw her."

She attempts to walk away to feel herself lifted from the ground.

"Hey! What..."

Liara flings her towards the range, angered by this asari. She doesn't know Liara, she doesn't know what she's been through. Liara thinks this is for her own good anyway, to attempt to 'drop out' of this training would mean certain death for the young mercenary. Xa'Nea hits the floor with a heavy thud and slides a few feet. Liara leaps the long distance to Xa'Nea using biotics to assist then places her foot on her neck.

"Do not presume to know me. Keep this up and I can be your worst nightmare."

Xa'Nea clutches at Liara's foot with one hand, while reaching for her pistol with the other. Liara spots this and raises a wagging finger.

"Ah-ah!" she says.

Xa'Nea continues to reach for her weapon. Liara press a little harder with her foot but it does not stop her. Seeing that Xa'Nea is not going to stop, Liara looks at her with pleading eyes for her to stop. The mercenary now has her hand on the pistol and is raising it towards her, Liara pushes hard and twists her foot to break the asari's neck.

"Why wouldn't she stop?" Liara asks, still looking at her body.

"I don't think she thought you'd do it. I certainly didn't. Fuck." one of the remaining Sisters replies, before she and her colleague both run from the range.

Liara looks at this lifeless body, as though seeing it for the first time. Did she really just do that? Her rage took over, she only meant to make a point. But when Xa'Nea began reaching for her pistol, she never meant for that. There is no time to dwell on this, it's just another merc casualty. Liara is more concerned how this will affect her deal with Jona Sederis.

* * *

"I know I couldn't expect miracles, but did you have to kill one of them?"

"She was going to shoot me." states with little emotion.

"That's what happens when you work with lunatics I suppose."

"Quite..." Liara agrees, but not quite for the same reason.

"At least in this line, I don't have to write to the family of the deceased. Anyway, as per your recommendation, I'm putting Wasea with a more experienced group of Sisters. They can put her through her paces, we'll see what comes out the other end. As for the other two, I've put them back with the regulars if they're not up for biotic duties. And as for the mission, it's still open to you if you want it."

"No, I think I'll pass thank you."

"Okay, but it was a good payer. As for your information, I have a name for you to follow. He has contacts with the Blue Suns, maybe he can help you. Ish. A salarian. I'll send co-ordinates to you."

Liara activates her omni-tool and punches in a few commands.

"Good. I've forwarded the credits to your account. Then our business is concluded?"

"I believe so. See you around, Doctor T'soni."

"Jona." Liara nods.

As Liara heads to the hangar bay, she sees Wasea hanging about the corridor. Wasea sees Liara but pretends not to, instead being fascinated by the ceiling.

"Wasea." Liara says, approaching her.

"Oh! Hi Liara." she says with forced surprise, her voice not quite how Liara usually hears it.

"Are you okay? Red sand isn't the answer you know."

"I know. I just wanted to make progress, show you I could do it."

"I know you can do it, you just need a proper regime, some direction. Hopefully, your new Sisters will help you."

"Thanks." Wasea says awkwardly, not normally having a reason to be grateful. "For everything I mean."

"Jona didn't need to know about the red sand, and after seeing what I did, the other two will not say anything."

"Man, I wish I'd been there when you did Xa'Nea, she'd been riding my ass for months."

"She said something, Wasea. That you... changed your accent?"

Wasea looks at the floor, embarrassed.

"Yea. Well. As you can hear, I've given that up."

"You own accent is fine, Wasea. And you can be quite eloquent, it shouldn't matter."

"You were like a breath of fresh air. Don't get much chance for normal conversation or intimacy in a big merc operation like this. Partly why I took the red sand to improve my biotics, I wanted you to notice me."

As she says this, Wasea simply places her hand on Liara's upper arm with a smile hinted with terror.

"Oh. Oh! I errr... I'm not..." Liara is lost for words.

Wasea backs away again.

"It's okay, I suppose you're leaving now."

"Yes. My business is concluded here."

"What _do_ you do, I wonder." Wasea says, aware that to ask would be futile. She holds out her hand.

"Well, it really has been great to meet you, Liara."

"Oh Wasea." Liara says as she knocks her hand away and gives her a friendly hug. "Be good. Well, as good as a blood thirsty mercenary killer can be."

"I'll try. Look after yourself."

Liara walks down the corridor as Wasea just watches the mysterious asari disappear from her life, her arms folded, occasionally hugging herself a little to remind herself of the wonderful one she just had, warm and honest.

Liara sits in her cockpit and just ponders for a while. Adventuring in populated areas as opposed to the barren planets of her prothean expeditions brings its own dangers. Not the combat, but the emotional dangers. Since travelling around all and sundry space ports, fuelling stations, mercenary ships and hide outs, declarations have been made to Liara on several occasions. Sometimes understated like just now with Wasea, other times sordid and lewd. She wonders if this is how it is for everyone, and she is only just discovering it for herself now after so many years in the wilderness. Not that it matters. There is no love now. She knows there never will be. Only emptiness.


	3. Chapter 3

"But before Verity, what was your life like then?"

"There is not a great deal to tell. I do not really recall much beyond my studies, it is a bit of a haze. All the days running into one, a hole in my life I did not know was there until I met Verity."

"Go on."

"I worked researching prothean artefacts and ruins, investigating what caused their great empire to disappear so suddenly and completely."

"That sounds like interesting and noble work."

"Hmm. Mother thought so... she said she had always been proud of me just before... I still wonder who fired the fatal shot... does it matter?" Liara looks at the floor, still unsure of the answer to this question.

"Come on, Liara, you're doing really well."

"Well I would occasionally fall foul of bands of privateers or mercenaries on my expeditions, that is where I learned to use my biotics in real combat. Quite daunting at first, but through necessity I soon learned how to use my skills effectively. I think fighting along side Verity completed my biotic training, she was powerful in combat. Even though her powers were less than a well trained asari, she made up for it in tactics and deployment."

"It sounds like you enjoyed the military life."

"Not at first. After being my own boss for so long on my expeditions, I found it difficult fitting in to the team, having to do this at this time, that at that time, early starts, rationed food. I was quite the brat at times."

"And that changed?"

"Oh yes. Gunnery Chief Williams and I became quite close friends, and Doctor Chakwas, she was really kind to me. I started to join in the day-to-day duties of the Normandy more and I think I even gained the respect of Navigator Pressly. He did not like having aliens on board the Normandy one bit, I can tell you."

"So you became a productive member of the crew?"

"I was proud of that, that it made Verity so proud too."

The warm feelings remembering the happiest time of her life grow instantly cold as reality reminds Liara of the truth.

"But before Verity, did you ever have the feelings you do now?"

"What? Did I ever feel like my very reason for living had been violently wrenched from my chest, leaving only pain and hopelessness?"

"Liara..."

"Well what do you want me to say? That I have always despaired so?"

"If we don't talk, we can't help you."

Liara becomes quite agitated.

"I'm angry, doctor, goddess I am angry. Both Verity and I had meandered alone through our lives and then by chance, and in the most terrible of circumstance, we found each other. Filled each other's souls with untold joy. And that has been snatched away as unexpectedly and mysteriously as it was given. I feel cheated and, yes, I want to lash out. It is either that... or..."

"Or what, Liara?"

"I do not want to think about it."

"But you obviously have."

"It is either that or end my pain and take my life, okay? I have said it. Out loud. Write it in your reports. If I do not find something to fill this hole, I have no reason to live. I know that it will not just go away."

"It might not go away, but you need to manage your feelings and move on. Time is a great..."

"Are we done for today? Before you start with your pathetic, clichéd platitudes?"

"That's probably for the best, Liara. And you've done really well today. You should be pleased. Liara, I want you to consider what you might do when you leave the hospital and return to your life, I'd like to discuss this in our next session."

"What I... might do?" Liara asks, the thought has not even crossed her mind until now.

"Yes. Your studies sounded important to you. It's just something to consider. Please, just think about it."

"Yes..." Liara says, walking zombie-like out of the door, her escorts waiting to take her back to her bed. What _is_ she going to do with a potential thousand years left of her life. She has no close family to fall back on, to support her and give her life direction. She can't just rely on Ashley, she has her own life with the fleet. The prospect now terrifies her of what to do and what to tell this counsellor. The Reapers are coming, Sovereign has foretold it, what future does anyone have now?

* * *

As Liara exits the ship and stands to look at the massive graceful towers of her home world, she sighs that she cannot appreciate her return home as much as she might. After Liara broke out of the hospital with Ashley's assistance, she decided on this visit, her reasons not clear even to herself. She just wanted to come. Liara hails a taxi which takes her to an ancient looking temple, complete with protective wall, belying its construction in a more feudal age. Liara exits the taxi and stands outside the large open gates to a courtyard, just looking. An asari leaves from a temple door and towards the gates where Liara stands. As the asari passes her, Liara nods her head.

"Justicar." she says simply and respectfully.

"Hello. Do you need help?"

"No. I'm just... I was just curious."

Having seen many girls in Liara's dilemma before, the Justicar now stops to speak with her.

"The life of a Justicar is not an easy one and filled with sacrifice, young one. It can be a lonely, solitary life, guided by a strict code."

"Hmm." Liara says.

"Is that what you want?"

"I... I am not sure what I want. Like I said, I was curious."

"I will not pretend to understand whatever turmoil your life is currently in, but I do not think that rashly following the Code to hide from your life would be the best thing to do, do you?"

"Hmm." Liara agrees. The thought of inflicting terrible justice on wrong doers does appeal to Liara, but the solitary life does not any more.

"Thank you, Justicar."

"Of course, young one. And I do hope that you find some peace." the Justicar says, watching her walk away with some concern.

Liara leaves the Justicar Temple and forgoes a taxi for the pleasant walk to her old neighbourhood. She stands outside her family home for a moment, wondering who might live there now, then on to her favourite park. Liara heads straight to a particular spot, the grass of which still stands out from the rest of the well kept lawn even after all these years. She sits on this spot and opens her holdall, pulling out a bag of her favourite chocolate sweets and stuffs a couple in her mouth, smiling a little at the scolding she received from her mother for digging up the pristine lawns of the park. She leans back onto her hands and lets the sun warm her body for a moment as she enjoys the chocolates. Liara then sits up onto her knees, and reaches again into her bag, looking around to make sure no-one is watching her. She pulls out a pistol. Liara places the pistol to her temple and closes her eyes.

"Verity...?"

Her breath is fast and erratic until she suddenly holds it, her hand and pistol shaking, then gasps as a hand pulls her arm and the weapon discharges into the air.

"No!" Liara shouts, fighting the hand briefly before releasing the weapon.

She leans onto her hands and knees, retches a few times then vomits.

"Verity..." she sobs.

The Justicar just sits crossed legged on the grass, peacefully, then introduces herself properly.

"I am Samara, a servant of the Justicar Code. I have seen that look before. It seems my instincts were correct."

"What have you done?"

"I have saved a young life from throwing itself away. You cried a name. You weep for someone lost?"

Liara sits up straight and nods sadly, wiping the tears from her cheek.

"I just want the pain to end."

"I sought to alleviate my pain through the Code."

"Did it work?"

Samara looks away with a distant sad look.

"No."

"Then you can understand why."

"Yet I am still here. You do not seem like a coward to me. Facing this every day takes great strength and courage. Take these things from the memory of your loved one."

"But it is the memory that hurts so much. And without her..."

Samara is unsure what she can say. Perhaps a little company and distraction will help.

"Are you hungry?" she asks.

"Umm. I suppose. Why?"

"I cannot just leave you here like this. Perhaps you would like to come to the temple for a meal? Meet some of my Justicar sisters? You said that you were curious. Communal dinner is due shortly."

* * *

Sitting around the dinner table among these Justicars reminds Liara of her family living room when filled with the Matriarchs, eclipsed by their strong characters. All chattering away, sometimes philosophising, sometimes bickering. Were it not for their dedication to the Code, some of these wise asari would certainly have become eminent Matriarchs. Samara assists Liara with her plate of food, spooning it onto her plate from the terrines, like a mother helping her child, checking which Liara does and doesn't want before filling the plate.

"So, what's your name?" one Justicar asks.

"Liara."

"Didn't old Nezi have a kid named Liara?" another interjects.

"If you mean Lady Benezia, then yes, I am her daughter."

"Ha! 'Lady' Benezia, like those titles actually mean anything. Remember that time Nezi and Ae... ow!"

The most senior looking Justicar sits opposite the one now rubbing her sore shin, glaring at her.

"It is unseemly for a Justicar to gossip." she says, now with a wry smile.

Among this domestic scene, the normality allows Liara to just live and breathe for a few moments, enjoying the home cooked meal. Slowly the Justicars begin to finish their meals and return to their meditations, leaving Liara and Samara at the table.

"You seem a little less... tense." Samara says to Liara.

Liara smiles.

"I will not pretend to be perfectly fine, but yes, thank you for inviting me here, Samara."

"That is quite alright, Liara. I could not leave a desperate young soul like that, I could not forgive myself. You remind me a little of my daughter, Felere."

"You have a family?" Liara says, surprised.

"Of sorts. I would rather not talk about that. It is tied to my reasons for following the Code."

Liara places her hand on Samara's forearm.

"That is alright. I do not mean to pry."

To enjoy such affection surprises Samara. She has motherly feelings towards this young troubled asari, feelings that she has not been able to feel or express in such a long time. This simple action from Liara swells Samara's chest with warmth. Samara finds it difficult visiting her daughters at the monastery, she still sees the young girls who used to play on the beach, not the monsters they have now been labelled. As children, her two youngest daughters were always so proud to swim with their elegant and athletic mother, somewhat a local celebrity due to her prowess on the skyball team, the eldest always sulking on the sand reading some new great tome of intellectuality. Fulfilling days destroyed in one brief conversation.

"I should go, Samara."

"You have somewhere to stay?"

"Yes. I booked a hotel before coming to Thessia."

"Oh. Then your decision may not have been not entirely premeditated or final."

"What?"

"Why book a room if you intend not to use it?"

"Oh. Hm. I do not know. I am not sure even why I really came to Thessia."

"Are you certain that you should be alone? You are welcome to board here if you so wish."

"It is okay, Samara. Thank you for your concern."

"I hope you can find some peace, Liara, I really do."

"Thank you for everything, Samara. Really, I shall be okay."

They stand and Liara gives Samara a hug. Samara freezes, unable to reciprocate even though enjoying every second. But once Liara releases the hug, Samara finds it in herself to stroke her cheek and smile.

"Goodbye, Liara."


	4. Chapter 4

Omega has Aria, Blue Suns, Eclipse, Bloodpack and other minor mercenary groups. The current facility that Liara is on does not. Normally, that would be a good thing. But seeing the almost complete anarchy of this operation makes Liara see the benefits of criminal organizations keeping at least some semblance of order. The mercenaries here are a far cry from the organized structures of the larger players. The poverty is disturbing. Small children with easily operable defects beg for food in the dirty poorly maintained corridors. Older children operate in groups, preying on the weaker residents. She has noted already that the adult population seems lower than the number of children wandering the corridors would imply. Whether the adults just left or have met some horrible end, Liara does not know, but regardless, this facility is on its last legs and cannot sustain itself much longer.

Liara passes a group of older children on her way to meet her contact. Her clean armour and face tell the group she is not from here, nor is she poverty stricken such as they. As soon as close enough, a human boy of no more than fourteen years old walks into her then pushes her.

"Out of my way, outsider."

Liara felt the boy's hand as soon as he bumped her, he's taken an OSD of information she was about to trade. She holds out her hand.

"Give it back."

The boy slinks back into the protection of the group.

"That's your toll for using our corridor." a girl states.

Liara allows her biotics to wave over her body, hoping this will scare them into submission.

"Now!" she demands.

The boy who took the OSD runs down the corridor.

"Go Davey!" another shouts after him.

Liara gives chase.

"Please! I need that!" she shouts after him.

Quite terrified, Davey runs to what he thinks is a safe place, within the ventilation ducts. He is just squeezing himself through the narrow opening when he feels a foot being held.

"Oh no you don't." Liara says.

He begins frantically kicking his legs at her, causing her let go but not for long. Liara needs this information to begin forming networks with her new contact. This child is not going to ruin her work. Having got hold of both feet, Liara pulls with all her might and the boy falls face first onto the floor. He quickly turns to be seated, then shuffles back on his bottom against the wall, his face red, eyes feral and terrified, tears beginning to well, a little blood dripping from his nose from the fall.

"Please, I need that OSD. Just give it to me and we'll say no more."

Davey isn't listening, he just sees an angry armed asari who wants to hurt him, wants to take away his chance for his next meal.

"Davey? Now listen, Davey, I know that really you only want some credits so how's about this. You give me back my OSD, and I'll give you say... one hundred credits?"

Credits have little value on this facility and an OSD is a great bargaining tool, particularly if valuable data is inside. Davey looks around, uninterested in her offer and only seeking his next escape route. Liara steps a little closer.

"I just want my OSD back, Davey." she says stooping now to rifle his pockets.

Liara feels her pistol being removed from the holster and grabs Davey's forearm to turn the weapon away from herself. Asari physique makes them quite weaker than humans, and despite his age and emaciated state, Davey is quite overpowering. She struggles with him, the weapon pointing this way and that, both trying to avoid it pointing at themselves. With a scream, Liara pushes his arm and squeezes his hand. The weapon discharges.

Liara takes the OSD from the body then stands to look. A wretched boy, a child, fighting for survival in the terrible place, hungry and desperate. Despite her greater cause, in reality, she just killed this child for an OSD.

"Davey?" a voice calls down the way. "Davey?"

It is not the voice of one of the gang of children, but an adult voice, female.

"Davey? Da... Davey! No!"

A middle-aged woman begins running towards Liara and the body, until she slows, reaching a few feet from them. She stands for a moment looking at the body lying still on the floor, eyes open, his terrifying struggle still expressed on his face, blood pouring from the rupture in his neck. The woman falls to her knees.

"Oh David. Oh my boy, my beautiful boy. What did you do? Why did you kill my child?" she now screams at Liara.

The woman stands with tears falling from her face, steps up and slaps Liara's cheek hard with a terrible look of disgust. Liara barely flinches, taking her deserved punishment.

"Why did you kill my boy? You fucking bitch mercenary!"

If it had been an orphan, would that have been any better?

"I didn't mean... he..." there is nothing Liara could say to stop this mother's pain.

"Why can't you people just leave us alone?"

The woman beats on Liara's armoured chest screaming terrible incomprehensible sounds, and she allows it, she deserves it. Davey's mother eventually descends to the floor in wretched, inconsolable tears. She crawls to Davey and begins tenderly caressing his face and hugging his lifeless but still-warm body, sobbing. Liara leaves this desperate scene and heads to the meeting place, an apology to her would be meaningless. She throws the tainted OSD at her contact, hitting the surprised Turian on the chest.

"Don't ever make me come here again." she says as she walks away.

"Doctor T'Soni? Your payment? Doctor T'Soni?"

The credits aren't important and a high enough price has already been paid for this data. She ignores the contact's calls and heads back to her shuttle.

Liara sits in her cockpit. She glances at the wonderful picture the Normandy crew had taken for Sha'li, then turns it over.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid..."

In time with her words, she kicks against the foot well, becoming harder each time, her voice raising, until she is kicking with all her might and lets out a scream that descends into a wail and finally uncontrollable tears. Is this her life now? So singular in purpose that everything else is beyond secondary? Is there anything she would not do to get to Verity's murderers? Liara must continue though, revenge is the only thing that will alleviate this aching hole in her heart, it sustains her, knowing that to stop would be fatal as any meaning would be lost from her life.

Liara sends the details of this facility to Hackett, advising that there are major child welfare issues. It is the very least she can do, though one mother's heartache too late.


	5. Chapter 5

Verity Shepard stands at the comms station, speaking with the Citadel Council.

"Awww," she says "I think we lost the channel."

"Miss Williams. Commander." Liara enters with Ashley. "We need to talk. If we do not resolve this situation now, I am afraid this will become... awkward."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ashley says.

"I hope we can keep this civilised, I do not want this to become unpleasant."

"Eer... Liara?" Shepard says. "What do you _think_ is going on?"

"I am aware that you have been spending a lot of time with both myself and Miss Williams. We need to resolve this."

"Commander?" Ashley says, unsure now if there is any basis for Liara's assertions.

"I think you've misread the situation, Liara." Verity smiles.

"Oh. I am... I thought we... oh."

Ashley interjects, "I thought you weren't er... I didn't think you were attracted to women, Commander. I'm flattered, ma'am, but I don't like women in that way."

"Jeez. Liara, I'm not gay. Ashley, you're a close friend, yes, but that's it."

"Oh. I... when you expressed your interest in me, I thought that because you see me as a woman that you were... and then you were spending time with... oh. I feel such a fool."

Ashley laughs hard.

"You never fail to impress, T'Soni, never change." she says.

"Miss Williams! This was difficult enough as it was, but now..." Liara says.

"Come on, Liara. You have to admit, it _is_ funny."

"I do not understand human humour, I will have to take your word for that."

"Look on the bright side, Liara."

"What do you mean?"

"If I'm not interested in Ashley..."

"Then you are...? Oh. Yes. I see. Yes."

"Good. Then we all know where we stand."

"Yea, Commander. Exactly where we were before this... confrontation."

"I am sorry, Miss Williams. I did not mean to..."

"Forget it, Liara. No harm done. I'll see you both later. Oh but Liara?"

"Yes, Miss Williams?"

"It's either Williams or Ashley. The only person who called me 'Miss' was my dad."

"Of course, Ashley."

Ashley leaves. Liara looks at the floor, then to the left, then to the right, anywhere but at Verity.

"Liara? Are you okay?"

"I cannot believe what an idiot I have made of myself. But I still do not understand."

"What do you mean?"

"If you are not gay, then why are you interested in me?"

"Really, does it matter?"

"Hm. I suppose not."

Verity is reluctant to spill the whole story of her life just yet and it seems she does not need to today.

"What _does_ matter though..."

"Yes?"

"Is that I think that you are an amazing asari who I knew straight away I wanted to know better, and when you said the same, you made the happiest Commander in the fleet."

Liara smiles, now able to look Verity in the eyes again.

"And you made me happy when you said you felt the same."

"So we're good then."

"Yes, I suppose we are."

"Good!"


	6. Chapter 6

The krogan Peshiah waits in the reception area, he paces up and down, now a familiar and happy sight since Shepard and Mordin cured the Genophage. Mordin's sacrifice is recognised by all the krogan and a popular name for the first born among them. Krogan that would once have been thrown into battle have now been encouraged by Wrex to study medicine, to help with the ongoing surge in births and population. Things have come far enough that krogan have even begun to pair again.

Peshiah is an engineer, previously one of the less respected roles in krogan society. He hopes to guide his child to build. Not weapons or devices of mass destruction, but architecture, infrastructure, to look to the future and build a better world for all.

Peshiah and his mate, Kunzen, have planned their lives, even agreeing to cohabitate after the birth like a proper family. A family not driven by war or hate, but by the desire to grow, to bring up their child in a world where knowledge and wisdom reign, not combat and division. Kunzen could not wait to nurture, to dote, to be an attentive mother. To bring a life into a world that has a future.

The wonderful sounds of infants crying carry down the corridors, until broken by a gut wrenching moan from within the maternity ward. A krogan medical assistant exits the ward.

"I... I'm sorry, Peshiah, the infant was still-born. We did all we could."

"What? But... the genophage..."

"This was natural. I'm sorry."

Kunzen exits the ward, unsteady on her feet. Peshiah rushes to her.

"You need to rest, you've only just been through..."

"Rest matters not, for what do I need rest?" she responds, as though not in the same reality, continuing out of the hospital.

"Kunzen?" Peshiah calls after her. "Kunzen? Please..."

He knows her intent. This is a sight that the krogan hoped never to see again, a female walking into the desert to die. This seems even worse than before, the assurance of the cure and their plans destroyed by this terrible natural event. Natural death in labour is something the krogan must accept in time, but to be the first, to have hope ripped away when all around are joyous is too much to bear.

Peshiah runs to catch up with her.

"Kunzen? Please, don't do this."

"I lost many children to the genophage and stayed strong, despite my heartache with every child born dead. But with each pregnancy I knew that was a possibility, I could prepare. This time, I hoped... I thought it would be... I can't be strong this time."

"But what of us?"

When the females had begun to return to the cities, no longer fearing the brutality of those who wished to mate, Peshiah and Kunzen had found each other. They had talked, laughed and after some time even tentatively declared love for each other.

"I am sorry but I cannot."

"But I... I still want to be with you."

She lowers her head as an apology then continues walking.

Peshiah stands for a moment, helpless, watching his mate walk to certain death, until he lets out a terrible wail, desperate and chilling.


	7. Chapter 7

The Normandy squad sit around the dinner table of the crew deck. Shepard is shaking a small plastic container with small balls of paper in it. She stops shaking, then pulls one of the paper balls out and unravels it.

"Yes!" she says with a fist pump. "Our first music night theme is... Earth!"

"Ooh!" Liara says. "I like Earth music."

"Can't wait to hear what everyone comes up with for this." Ashley says.

"Tsk, music night." Wrex gripes. "Can't we do combat styles from around the galaxy instead?"

"Wrex." Shepard sternly says, her tone enough.

"Okay, okay. It's just music was never really my thing. Or anyone's on Tachunka for that matter. Too busy fighting to survive. We used to have a musical culture in the past, but all that's been lost over time."

"And now you can bring it back!" Liara enthuses.

"Hehe, nice idea, Liara, but we'll see how that goes."

"Okay then." Shepard says. "For tomorrow night, everyone finds a piece they like and want to share. Nothing too recent that we'd all know already."

* * *

Ashley stands eagerly over the console in the crew deck canteen.

"Host planet goes first I believe, so who then? Me? Shepard?"

"Go on, Ash, you're obviously more desperate than me." Verity says.

"Great. Here we go then."

Ashley presses play on the console then stands back. A soft piano drifts across the canteen.

"Really Ash?" Verity says.

"Hey! This is a stone cold classic."

_Why do birds, suddenly appear_

"It sounds quite nice." Tali says.

_Every time, you are near?_

"Wake me up in a minute." Wrex moans.

_Just like me, they want to be_

"Philistines the lot of you. Except Tali. Thank you, Tali." Ashley says.

_Close to you._

Liara sits with a smirk on her face.

"Yes, Liara? Something to say?" Ashley confronts.

Unable to contain it any more, Liara bursts out laughing.

"Oh Ashley, you big softy. I would never have thought the gung-ho Gunnery Chief Williams would be so..."

"Yes?"

"Sentimental." Liara tempers her ridicule.

"It's just a good song."

"Oh, Ash. You are the mushy one in secret aren't you?"

"Hey! What's this? I thought we agreed: no mocking our choices."

"Come on, Ash." Verity says. "You have to admit, it is a surprise."

They listen to the rest of the song and Garrus steps up.

"Shall I go next?"

"Sure, let's hear what you've got." Shepard says.

"I like experimental sounds."

After pressing play, Garrus sits in an almost meditative state. Machinery bangs and clangs over the system, then bangs and clangs some more. What sounds like a hammer hitting metal joins the melee of sounds.

"It's German 'avant garde' apparently." he says, listening intently.

"This is quite interesting." Tali says.

"Hardly a surprise from a machinist, Tali." Ashley says.

"So I like machines and technology. It comes with being Quarian, we've always been close to our technology, almost symbiotic. I have a theory that that was part of the problem with the geth, we were worried we'd start to lose where we ended and the technology began. Afraid we might take that final step to full assimilation and lose our humanity. It must have been considered back then with the advances at the time."

"That's quite insightful, Tali." Liara says, appreciative of Tali's interest in history and culture compared to her prothean studies.

"Part of the reason I was so interested in salvaging that geth that got the data on Saren. I wanted to see if there were any remnants of our past."

"Hmm, if compared to organics, emotionally primitive forms of life lash out if afraid or feeling threatened. I wonder if it was like that for the geth. Like newborns but with powerful bodies, their parents trying to kill them."

"Stop it."

"What? Oh, I..."

"The geth are not organics, they are AIs. Machines built to perform a task. Have no sympathy for them, they have none for you. The only reason they started pondering their existence is because they only had us to compare themselves to. But there is no comparison, they have no other purpose than that which we give them."

"I did not realise that you were so... I did not mean to offend you, Tali."

"That's okay, Liara. The subject of the geth is quite contentious for a quarian. This music reminds me of the geth, relentless and ominous."

The banging and clanging music stops as abruptly as its starts, and Garrus sighs.

"Brilliant. Glad you appreciated it, Tali." he says.

"How do you find this stuff? Must be a nightmare sifting through all the data banks." Wrex says.

"I'm patient."

"Ha! Well I've gone for easy."

Wrex walks over to the console, hits his track, then back to his seating position. Lively violins dance around the speakers.

"Go straight for the classics, I say. Can't be disappointed then, surely. This represents the Earth season of 'Spring' apparently. I thought it sounded nice enough."

Most of the table look at Wrex in a bored manner and some disbelief.

"Wrex..." Verity says, "you never have to contact banking establishments do you?"

"Uh, not often. Why?"

"Because every time they put you on hold to speak with a manger to authorize a perfectly simple transaction after patronising you for the previous half hour, they play this damn music! God only knows how it circulated the galaxy so quickly."

"Alright, fine, I'll do my research better in future. Go on, Shepard, you next."

"You sure, Wrex?" Ashley says. "The Commander's taste in music is awful."

"Ashley! Well this is the first track off an album that changed the face of rock."

"Oh no..." Ashley says as she realises what is coming, having heard that statement before.

A cacophony of electric guitars blast, joined by the singer's long falsetto note than descends into a full guttural scream. Fast paced intense drums set a heady pace for the dissonant chugging guitars. Shepard air-guitars to the music and Ashley holds her head in one hand, shaking her head.

"There she goes..."

"Eer... what's this song about?" Liara is almost afraid to ask, but curious about the unintelligible screaming and shouting purporting to be singing.

"It's about a concentration camp on Earth during one of the great conflicts of the twentieth century. They did terrible experiments on the prisoners."

"Why would someone write a song about that?"

"It's dark, horrible, disturbing. Exciting. Listen to those riffs."

Yes, she was right to be afraid to ask.

"Hm. It is very loud and distorted."

"It's supposed to be!"

"I do not think I could listen to that for too long."

"It's a bit 'in your face', I have to agree." Tali says.

"But pots and pans being thrown around from Garrus wasn't? Sheesh, you're a tough crowd."

"Hey, that industrial track was poignant." Garrus says.

Verity is a little disappointed that no-one has taken to her music.

"Go on, Tali, you go next."

"Okay."

After a short introduction of banjo and guitar Ashley and Verity look at each other with disbelief, the singer begins.

_Hotdogs_

Shepard laughs immediately followed by Ashley.

_Armor hotdogs_

"Tali..." Verity can't get her words out for laughing.

_What kinds of kids eat armor hotdogs?_

"It's an old commercial, Tali." Ashley eventually manages to say.

_Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks_

"What do you mean? I thought we agreed we wouldn't mock each other's choices... but knowing that now does take the shine off it a little. I thought it sounded fun, that's all. A silly song about children eating armoured animals."

_Tough kids, sissy kids, even kids with chicken pox!_

Verity places her hand on Tali's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Tali. I didn't mean to upset you. And by the way, hotdogs aren't an animal, they're like a sausage. That's what the commercial was for, 'Armor' branded 'hotdogs'."

"Oh I feel really stupid now."

"You weren't to know." Liara supports. "And it did sound like a fun song."

"There's only you left now, Liara."

"Ahem." comes over the comm.

"Joker?"

"Yea, I've been listening to your poor choices. I can go with Slayer, but only for the guitaring. I can feed my choice in from here when you give the nod."

"Sure, the more the merrier. Go ahead, Liara."

After a minimalist intro of voices, a subtly thudding dance track twists and turns around the speakers. Liara cannot help but start to sway her hips, tapping her hand on her thigh to the beat.

"It's funny." Shepard says. "This track could be played in any bar across the galaxy, and no-one would bat an eyelid."

"Yes. And it is nearly two hundred years old. I like the way it just twists and turns, meandering along softly. Ooh, wait, my favourite part..."

_Little fluffy clouds, little fluffy clouds_

"Aah, I love the way she says that."

"Yup. The Blue Angel's head is firmly in the clouds." Joker pipes in.

"Go on, Joker." the Commander reluctantly says.

A phasing rock outfit subtly beat out a rhythm, until the singer joins.

_I couldn't say where she's coming from,  
But I just met a lady named Dinah-moe Humm _

The music twists and turns in a lively jazz style, rising and descending in curious tones between phrases.

_She strolled on over, said "Look here, bum,  
I got a forty dollar bill says you cant make me cum.  
You just can't do it."_

"Joker?" Verity says in exasperation.

_She made a bet with her sister, who's a little dumb,  
She could prove it any time all men was scum._

"Joker!"

_I don't mind that she called me a bum,  
But I knew right away she was really gonna cum.  
So I got down to it._

"Joker, stop this damn track."

_I whipped off her bloomers and stiffened my thumb  
Applied rotation on her sugar plum..._

The music stops.

"But it's Zappa!" he cries over the comm.

"Do I have to screen your choices?"

"Aw that's tame, man."

"I was interested to see where that was going." Garrus says.

"Yea, it wasn't so bad. We're all grown ups here." Ashley agrees.

"Well anyway." Verity says, covering up her prudish stance. "I think we can call this evening a success?"

"I enjoyed the little window into you all through music." Tali says.

"Yup!" Ashley says. "It just confirms what I already knew: you're a bunch of loons. Especially Shepard."

"I don't think we needed musical representation to know that, Ash." Verity agrees.

"Well, boys and girls, I'm going to hit the hay. See you all tomorrow."

"'night, Ash."

Ashley walks toward the elevator whistling the Armor Hotdogs tune for Tali's benefit.

* * *

_Author's notes:_

_For thems whats interested, the tracks were:_

_Ashley – 'Close To You' by The Carpenters_

_Garrus – no particular track or band in mind, just general German industrial_

_Wrex – 'Spring' from Vivaldi's Four Seasons_

_Shepard – 'Angel of Death' by Slayer_

_Tali – 'Armor Hotdogs' jingle_

_Liara – 'Little Fluffy Clouds' by The Orb_

_Joker – 'Dinah-Moe Hum' by Frank Zappa_


	8. Chapter 8

Rila and Falere run down the beach back towards their sister and mother.

"You'll never beat me!" shouts Rila.

Rila arrives back at the family first, falling dead tired onto the sand, closely followed by Falere with sand spraying all over the area.

Mirata lowers her sunglasses to look over them with a little disgust, "Tsk, watch it!", then returns to reading.

"Will you come swimming, mother?" Falere asks.

"Please, mother!" Rila joins.

Samara rises from her beach towel and straightens her swimming costume around her athletic body, the result of years training and exercising.

"Are you coming to swim with your sisters, Mirata?"

"I wouldn't be seen dead." Mirata says without looking up from her datapad.

"A simple 'no' would suffice. But very well."

The two girls always feel proud walking with their elegant mother along the beach. She is quite the local celebrity due to her prowess on the skyball team. Mirata thinks she seeks more from life, always searching for new ideas and philosophies. She is rarely to be found without some new tome of art and literature, essays and debate. She certainly likes to think she is a cut above her simple siblings. Her maiden stage cannot come soon enough so she can get out on her own and explore all the mysteries of the galaxy.

As she reaches the water's edge, Samara wades in to hip height then dives forward with barely a splash as her body cuts into the water. The two younger sisters run into the water, splashing and laughing then swim to try and catch up with their mother who is already powerfully moving through the water.

* * *

"Mother! Please, do not go! I am frightened, mother!" Falere calls after Samara while the officials hold her back, clamping biotic dampening cuffs on her.

"I still love you, mother!" Rila calls through choked tears as she is manhandled into a side room of the temple.

Mirata allows the officials to do what they need to, already formulating her escape.

The pain in Samara's heart is too much to bear. Her beautiful daughters, labelled monsters by the disease that is not their fault. The sound of her daughters' pleas hurts her greatly, she so wants to just pick them up and hug them, take them somewhere nice and treat them, but this is no longer something that will ever happen again. As she reaches the door, Samara turns to look back, lowering her head in submission, indicating to her daughters that this is not something she wants, then leaves.

The three sisters sit in the side room, left alone for a moment by the temple officials. The two younger siblings sit together while Mirata sits apart.

"I am not going to let this happen." Mirata states firmly.

"What do you mean, Mirata?" Falere asks.

"Oh my simple little sister, what do you think I mean? I'm getting out of here the first opportunity that presents itself."

"But... that is dangerous. What if you start to..."

"Get urges?" Mirata interrupts.

Falere looks at the floor with a worried look. She is afraid of the feelings that might come with her condition. As a timid child, she has no desire to harm.

"Well if that's what nature intended, so be it. I'm not letting some religious zealots dictate my life when it's barely got started."

"What about mother?" Rila says. "Think about what it would do to her."

"Oh yes. Our virtuous mother. She just dumped us here and walked away. If she really cared, she'd still be here."

"You know it is not like that. She had no choice."

"The moment she found out about us, she was already formulating her escape to get away from us."

Falere's bottom lip quivers, she breathes erratically, trying to muster the strength to speak.

"Mother still loves us. I know."

"I will look after you, Falere, I promise." Rila comforts, trying to stay strong for her younger sister.

"Well I'm looking after number one. You two can rot in whatever temple they imprison you in."

"Mirata!"

"If you two want to be victims, go for it. But I'm not going to allow that to happen to me!"

"I do not want to be a monster..." Falere says, finally releasing her tears.

"Look what you have done now, Mirata! Come on, Falere, at least we will still have each other."

"But I wanted to go to Serrice University to study medicine. To help people. Now they say I am only good to hurt and kill. I do not want to hurt anyone, Rila."

"I know, Falere, I know. If we do get those 'urges', they said the temple can help us."

"You two are pathetic."

* * *

Samara returns to the family home, every piece of furniture, fixture, fitting, ornament, decoration, all of it, reminding her of her daughters. She heads down to her basement exercise room to vent some of her feelings. She punches the punch bag, then again, and again, until she is hitting with all her might. With a mighty scream she adds biotic power to a punch, the force breaking the chain from which the bag hangs, sending it soaring across the room. She stands in her stance, breathing heavily from the exertion, then her arms fall limp by her side and she drops to her knees.

"I beg you, Goddess. Guide me in my darkest hour." Samara says into the air, then falls onto her hands in shuddering tears.


	9. Chapter 9

There's definitely something going on but Liara has yet to discover what. Clandestine meetings, conversations cut short when she enters, evasive looks from Verity, but for what reason she does not know. Normally if Liara needs to know something she can rely on her information network, but on this ship she is the Shadow Broker agent. Either way, to spy on her own lover and Commander? She can't, she wouldn't.

Liara enters the sick bay looking for Verity, and finds her with Doctor Chakwas and Mordin. They were talking but stopped when Liara entered. Verity looks upset, despite trying to hide it from Liara.

"Shepard? What's wrong? Are you ill?"

"No, not ill."

"I'll leave you to it. I am sorry, Shepard, really I am." Chakwas says with sympathetic tones. Liara is unsure of the sympathetic look she also receives from the Doctor.

Chakwas and Mordin exit the sick bay.

"Shepard?"

It is obvious to Liara that Verity has been crying, her eyes still a little red, the tear stains on her face still present.

"I didn't want to talk with you about this until I knew where I stood."

"About what? Shepard, you're worrying me."

"I'm a woman, Liara."

"Of course you are."

"All the talk of little blue children and the genophage cure made me think about my own body."

"How so?"

Verity almost speaks a few times, amidst sighs, huffs and puffs, still fighting further tears, until finally she is able.

"I want to be a mother."

"You mean a father."

"No."

"Oh."

"It's ingrained into us, it's like my womb is calling to me and I'm not getting any younger."

Verity strokes her stomach.

"Oh Shepard." Liara says sympathetically.

"I asked Doctor Chakwas and Mordin to research current technologies that have been developed so, you know, we could both have children with each other. But apparently, that's just not possible. Not the way our different physiologies work."

Liara sits next to Verity and holds her hand.

"I never knew you'd even thought about this. I thought we were happy as things are."

"We are. This doesn't change us, Liara. You're more important to me than this. I just feel... I don't know, incomplete as a woman, I suppose. The thought of giving birth and holding my baby for the first time... but that's never going to happen..."

Verity's tears begin again.

"Oh Shepard, I am so sorry. I don't know what to say."

"I don't think there's much anyone could say. I wanted to..." Verity's voice breaks up as she speaks. "have... children... of... my own..."

"They _will_ be your children, no matter who gives birth."

"And I'll love our children with all my heart, no matter what."

Verity pauses a moment in thought.

"Am I being selfish?"

Liara strokes Verity's hair.

"No, of course not. It's completely understandable what you are feeling. I've seen how pregnancy changes people and how it changes those around them. It is quite beautiful. There is nothing wrong with wanting that. And as you said, your biology is telling you this is what you need."

"Thanks once again, galaxy." Verity says into the air.

"Verity... you know thinking like that is not healthy for you."

"I know. I just feel that sometimes..."

"We've talked about this, and you've talked with Doctor Chakwas about this too. You can't blame the galaxy every time things go wrong for you."

"Then why does it throw everything wrong with my life back in my face at every opportunity?"

"Shepard!"

"I know. I'm sorry, I'm just really low right now."

"I know you are upset right now but it's the worst time to think like that. Look where it's got you in the past. But I do wish there was something I could do."

"Hold me."

Liara wraps her arms around Verity and they just cuddle.

"Will we be okay?" Liara asks.

"Yea. I just have to accept this."

"Please don't be angry. You worry me when you get like that."

"I'm not going to do anything stupid."

"Good. But if you need to talk, please talk to me. Don't keep me out of things like this."


	10. Chapter 10

The squad returns to the Normandy's shuttle bay after their mission securing a Cerberus facility and her exit the craft. Liara immediately rushes to Verity.

"Oh you're safe. Thank the goddess!"

Joker has evidently been waiting with her but has a concerned look about his face. As Verity changes into her fatigues, Liara watches her intently then immediately links arms with her as they head to the CIC.

"Are you okay, Liara?"

"What? Yes. I'm just glad you got back safe."

"Hmm. Give me a minute, I just need to speak with Joker."

"Okay. I'll just be here waiting for you." Liara responds as they arrive at the galaxy map, watching Verity's every move.

"Hello, Specialist Traynor." Liara says, quite manically.

"Err... hello, Liara. Are you okay?"

"Oh yes. I'm quite fine, thank you. Are you?"

"Yes... I'm tickety-boo. Thanks."

Liara giggles.

"'Tickety-boo'! I like that."

"Eer... yes."

Verity reaches the cockpit.

"Hey, Joker."

"Commander."

"Has Liara been okay?"

"Honestly? No, not really. She's been quite panicky while you were down there, like you weren't coming back or something. She had me worried at times. She kept bugging me every five minutes for the mission status so I just went down to the bay and left EDI to it."

"Jeff was quite concerned for Liara. Not once did he engage in humour to diffuse the situation." EDI adds.

"That sounds serious. Thanks for keeping an eye on her. I'll see you later."

"Of course, Commander."

Verity returns to Liara and ushers her away from a bemused looking Traynor.

"What's going on?" she asks.

"Umm, nothing."

"Hmm. Doesn't seem like nothing."

"I'm tickety-boo, Shepard." Liara says with a wink to Traynor who is out of ear shot but can see that Liara is certainly not acting quite right. Verity knows that she is not a counsellor and does not have the skills to tactfully get to the bottom of this odd behaviour.

* * *

Verity does not like doing it, but feels she must speak with Liara's counsellor so heads to Huerta Hospital at the first opportunity.

"So, Commander," Fenaris says, "what can I do for you?"

"Sorry to drag you away from your work, but it's about Liara."

"You know I cannot discuss her treatment with you."

"No, no. I just wanted to speak with you about how she's been recently, maybe give you some insight into how she's been day to day."

"Hm, I suppose I can see no harm in that."

"Whenever I'm on a mission, or sometimes just when I'm not with her, she gets panicked, like she's going to lose me again."

"Hmm, I see."

"But when she came back from her session last week she certainly didn't seem herself..."

"Session last week?"

"Yea, when we last docked. She came to see you?"

"Sorry, Commander. We did have a session scheduled for last week, but Liara did not arrive. I assumed your work had prevented the session."

"Oh. Hm. Sorry to have taken up your time."

"Is there a problem do you think, Commander?"

Verity sighs.

"I don't know. I was hoping... well I don't know what I was hoping. Maybe that if you knew about this change in mood recently there was something that could be done. Now I'm concerned as to what she was doing during that time. She was gone for quite a while longer than your sessions would normally take and I presumed she'd just needed a little time to herself after it. But she has been distracted, edgy, sometimes tired and sometimes a little... well... manic. To be honest, very manic. I know you can't give me much detail, but how were your sessions going?"

"There has not been enough time for anything meaningful to take place. These things cannot be resolved in an instant. Well if you discover what is going on, I would appreciate to know why my patient is not arriving for her sessions. Our ad hoc arrangement is a favour to you, Commander. Remind Liara of that, please. There are many who need our help."

"Of course. I'm sorry about all this. Thanks a lot, really."

Verity wonders what Liara has been doing if not attending her sessions. She must now get to the bottom of this disturbing revelation.

* * *

Shepard darts out of cover to the next pillar unseen, then pops her head out to survey. Her target continues unaware of her presence and she walks quickly but silently, keeping her quarry in sight. Liara had boarded the Citadel, claiming she was headed to Huerta Hospital but as suspected by Verity, has again headed elsewhere. The chase has taken Verity to the lower levels, still in disrepair from the attack by Sovereign. It is a dark and squalid area with duct rats begging what they can from the meagre pickings available. Liara stops at a door with a batarian outside. A quick verbal exchange with the doorman and Liara enters. Now safe from Liara's eyes, Verity heads to the door, already guessing what this place probably is. The batarian holds up his hand to prevent her access.

"Password?" he asks.

"Let me in or I shoot your face off?"

"Oh. Err... Commander Shepard, isn't it?"

"Yes. Then you're probably aware that it's not a good idea to get on my wrong side and I'll warn you: I am _not _in the mood today."

"Okay, okay, in you go then. Wouldn't have thought this would be your scene anyway. Just don't shoot anyone, okay?"

"No promises."

Verity enters a dark corridor lit only by red emergency lighting with groups of various races sitting and lying around the floor, gathered around pillars. She sees Liara sitting alone on the ground, her back against a wall. Liara throws pill into her mouth and washes it back with a drink. A few moments later, her eyes widen and her back involuntarily arches as the drug takes effect, then she slumps back again as her body relaxes and her eyes close. Release.

Verity marches through the bodies strewn about this place, a furious look on her face. She grabs Liara by the arm to make her stand and drags her out of the den, Liara leg's barely able to hold her own weight.

"Verity! You're not supposed to be here. What are you doing here?" Liara says in a dream like state, grinning stupidly.

"I am so angry right now." Verity says, causing a laugh from Liara.

It is apparent there is no point trying to hold a conversation with Liara like this, so Verity just pushes her into the elevator to take them to the Normandy's dock. Liara leans back against the elevator wall then slides down onto her bottom.

* * *

The following morning Verity storms into Liara's room where she had dumped her on the bed.

"Hey! Wake up!" Verity shouts at Liara in her bed, then grabs a foot to give her leg a good shake.

"What are you doing?" Liara says.

"What am _I_ doing? Liara, what the hell are _you_ doing? I thought you weren't taking that... that... shit... any more?"

"Oh... Yesterday..." she responds, now coming out of her daze. "I..."

"And you've been missing your counselling session to do this?"

"I know, I know..."

"So? What the hell's going on?"

"I... you... we..."

"You better start to making some sense, Liara. I was shocked before when you told me about the hallex, but I could understand it in those circumstances. Now? This? I am so damn angry. Why, Liara, why?"

"I... I just can't cope when you're away on missions without me. When I was coming with you it was different. I knew what you were doing, that you were safe, that I could make the difference if I needed to. Now... I just worry so. It's unbearable."

"I should have seen something like this coming the way you've been recently. So you started taking hallex again?"

"Yes... I can just take it and forget about it all."

"That's not a solution, Liara. It won't stop you feeling like this in the long term. You need help and you were supposed to be getting it."

"Counselling. Tsk." Liara says with disdain. "It doesn't help. It just brings back up everything I don't want to remember. I thought it would be different with Fenaris but it's just the same. Dragging up every emotion and shortfall, putting it under the microscope to tell me what I already know, that I just can't cope any more."

"There is no quick fix for all this, it takes time. You haven't even given Fenaris a chance."

"You've been spying on me!"

"Ah no. You are _not_ turning this around onto me."

"No... I'm sorry. I'll try harder, honestly."

"Well, I don't know what else to say. It's up to you. But I have to say, the current arrangement just doesn't seem to be working."

"No! Please, no. Don't... I couldn't face being alone..." Liara says with panic.

"What?"

"Please, I'll change. Don't leave me!"

"Oh Liara." Verity says in a softer tone. "That's not what I meant at all! I just meant the out patient arrangement. Do you really think I'd just drop you like that? After everything I've said you still think that?"

"I... I don't know any more."

"Well you _should_ know. How many times do I have to say it? I know I'm angry with you right now but I still want and love you, Liara. I just want to help."

"Then... what did you mean?"

"Maybe you need admitting to Huerta fully. It might take the worry out of watching me go off on missions all the time and hopefully stop the urge to go get stoned off your face. It'd also take the worry out of me as to what you're doing when you're supposed to be getting help. What do you say?"

"Oh, that just makes it so... final, so real."

"It _is _real, Liara. These problems are real. I thought that you'd admitted that to yourself."

"So did I, but..."

"But what?"

"I don't know. I'd always been in control. Independent. Shaped my own life. Since... well, meeting and losing you, that's all gone. I hate not being in control of my emotions, of my life."

"Maybe this is something you need to discuss with Fenaris rather than me. I want to help you, Liara, but I'm just not equipped to. Not with this."

"So you just want to abandon me on the Citadel and get rid of the problem?"

"Liara! It's not like that at all and you know it."

"Yes..."

"Give Fenaris a chance and please, lay off the hallex. For me?"

"Yes. I promise."

"But one other thing, Liara."

"Yes?"

"I tried to open your box yesterday. You've changed the code. What have you got in there?"

"Nothing! I... I was... I just..."

"What's the code?" Verity demands.

"Oh... I... I'm not sure now..."

Without pause, Verity pulls out her side arm and shoots the lock off.

"What are you doing? Have you gone mad?"

"I'm not stupid, Liara."

Verity rifles through the chocolate items and pulls out a bag of pills.

"Oh. Those." Liara says guiltily.

"Nothing. You said 'nothing'. Now you're lying to my face."

Verity marches towards the exit.

"Where are you going with those?"

"To the waste disposal air lock. You're lucky you're not going with them." Verity says as she leaves without looking back.

"Oh. Oh! Fuuuck!" Liara screams shrilly then sits on the edge of her bed in tears. It is not so much the loss of the hallex but that she has failed herself and Verity so badly, that she lied, that the terrible, distressing feelings she has no control over won't go away. Verity is at her wits end. She so wants Liara to be well, to be happy inside, but is frustrated that this is all out of her hands. She can provide support but that's all. It's up to Liara to accept help and make it happen.

* * *

_Author's note: I'd originally started writing this for 'Blue' but quickly realised it would make it pretty unworkable if Liara was admitted to hospital for such a condition, it would take more than a quick visit to resolve with the issues I added and she is pretty integral to the ME story (and my musings). But I liked it, so I'm posting it in this section. As such, think of this as an AU for my AU, hehe._


	11. Chapter 11

"I got a first, dad!" the asari shouts as she enters the home, then makes her way upstairs to the bedroom.

"That's great, Aethyta, really great. I knew you could do it." Shepard feebly shouts from her bed, her face aged by time and hair greyed.

Shepard's daughter Aethyta sits on the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling today, dad?"

"I'm fine. I'm always fine. You lot just fuss too much."

"Come on, dad. You might be the invincible Commander Shepard to everyone else but to us, you're just our dad and you're not as young as you used to be."

"I can still use my biotics!" Shepard protests as a blue aura glows around her hand.

"Dad! Mum will have a fit if she sees you doing that. You know the doctors said using your biotics could be dangerous!"

"Shepard!" a voice shouts from the corridor.

"Oops!" Verity says to Aethyta.

"Who are you trying to impress, Shepard? Doing that could kill you in your condition."

"What condition? I'm old, that's all!"

Liara enters, looking the same as she has for decades.

"Anyway." Verity quickly changes the subject. "Didn't you hear? 'Thyta got a first!"

"Of course. Congratulations, Aethyta. I had no doubt you'd do it."

"Thanks, mum. Where's Felere? I haven't told her yet."

"Your sister is still at school, she'll be home soon enough. Looks like she's secured a place at Serrice too, I'm sure she'll tell you all about it."

"We got a stake in that college yet? I feel like we've assisted them half my life. If it wasn't for me and your mother, they certainly wouldn't have nearly as much prothean data as they do now. Did I tell you about that time when my squad was on Eden Prime..."

"Yes, dad. Only a million times. Zapped by prothean beacon, Reapers, yarder-yarder, galaxy saved."

"I risked my life for this kind of abuse?"

"Aethyta, can you please go to the T'Bau house and see if they have any Ice Brandy? I need some for dessert."

"Sure, be right back."

Once she hears the front door shut, Liara turns to Verity.

"Must you?"

"What?"

"The biotics. Really, Shepard. You don't need to show off."

"I'm not useless!"

"No-one says that you are."

"I'm going to miss so much, aren't I? Seeing the kids fulfil their dreams, grandchildren, all that."

"We knew these days would come and we knew it would not be easy. What about the last hundred years? Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Of course it does. It's just... jeez Liara, you look as good as the day I met you. Normally if a human says that they're just flattering, but with you it's true. I just didn't think it'd be this hard. I feel almost selfish."

"How so?"

"It makes my heart ache thinking about you all living your lives without me, carrying on as though I'd never been there."

"Shepard! We'll always remember and love you!"

"I still love you so much, Liara." Verity says, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry I've been a burden these last few years. You're still young and I feel like I've taken some of that away."

"Don't say that. I'd do anything for you, Shepard, anything."

The doorbell rings.

"Are they early?" Shepard asks.

"Hm. I hope not. I've still plenty to do."

Liara glides down the stairs to the front door and opens it.

"Tsk. Look at her. Still hasn't changed a bit." Ashley grumbles as Sha'li assists the hobbling old woman into the house.

"Hi, Liara!" Sha'li says. "Sorry we're early but the traffic was almost non-existent, we made really good time. Well I can help you around the kitchen anyway."

"That would be great. How are you, Ash?"

"I'm old. What do you think?"

"Oh she's in one of _those_ moods today is she?"

"'She'? I am here you know. It's alright for you and your asari genes. Us humans aren't so lucky."

"Is that old codger moaning again?" Verity shouts down.

"No more than you do, dear!" Liara shouts back up.

"Who are you calling an old codger, you old bat?"

"Do you want me to help you up to Shepard's room?" Sha'li asks.

"I can climb a few stairs, I'm not completely incapable yet." Ashley says, as she slowly begins to ascend the stairs.

"Mother! You're not supposed to use the stairs like that alone. It's dangerous with your balance now. Backwards, on your bottom like they showed you."

"I am not going up the stairs like some toddler."

"Then let me help you."

"Oh fine. If it'll stop you nagging me."

Sha'li assists Ashley up the stairs and they arrive at Shepard's doorway.

"You look terrible." Ashley says to Verity.

"No worse than you." Verity retorts.

Ashley sits in a chair, huffing and puffing, out of breath from the exertion of the stairs.

"I'll go and see if Liara needs any help. Will you two be okay here?"

"This isn't a creche, Li. We're not children. We'll be fine."

"Now, mother. When you want to come back down, please call me. Don't just try to get down the stairs on your own. Okay?"

"Hm!" is as much response Ashley provides and Sha'li goes back downstairs.

The two old women sit in silence for a moment, until Verity finally speaks.

"Aethyta got a first in her degree."

"Nice."

"Yup."

"Felere doing okay?"

"Yup."

"Good."

"Any news?"

"Not particularly."

"Hm."

"Well. At least we're not salarian." Ashley announces.

"What?"

"I was just saying, at least we're not salarian."

"I know. I just don't understand why."

"Oh. The asari thing."

"Is this supposed to be making sense?"

"The age difference. Tsk. At least we're not salarian."

"Oh I see. Yea. Me and Liara were just talking about that."

"About salarians?"

"No! The asari thing."

"What thing?"

"The age difference."

"Yea. At least we're not salarian."

* * *

"Eerrr... and what are you two doing?" Liara confronts Ashley and Shepard.

Ashley was helping Shepard put on her old N7 armour but they are now frozen, caught in the act.

"Oh! We were just... I wanted to see if..."

"And are you planning on going somewhere in that armour?"

"Not far... just to the wasteland over by the water refinery."

"Oh Shepard. You're not going to go shooting random objects again?"

"Me and Ash just wanted to, you know..."

"You two are insufferable. You're not squaddies any more, it could be dangerous to go shooting in your conditions."

"Then come with us. Like old times. Girl squad!" Ashley says, her enthusiasm in shouting the team's name causing a coughing fit.

"Oh yes. You're both in prime condition for a mission. It wouldn't be very effective for me to carry you from cover to cover."

"Are you okay, mother?" Sha'li now enters. "I heard you coughing badly."

"I'm fine! Quit fussing."

"Look what this pair are trying to do." Liara says. "They want to sneak out to go shooting."

"Mother! You are in no fit state to be handling powerful rifles, they could pop your shoulder out if nothing else."

Verity sits on the bed, tears rolling from her cheeks.

"I am not an damn invalid!" she shouts, banging her fist on the bed. "I'm a Spectre, N7 Class Officer, I am not a child! I'm old, I know! But if I want to go and shoot my gun, I'm going to go and damn well shoot my gun!"

Liara sits next to Verity and holds her hand.

"No-one said that you cannot do what you want. We just care and don't want you to get hurt by being silly."

"Stop patronising me!"

"Come on, Mother. Let's get you downstairs." Sha'li says.

"But..."

"I think Shepard and Liara need a moment."

"Tsk. Fine. Help me up then."

Sha'li helps Ashley up and they go downstairs.

"Is this a continuation of our conversation earlier?"

"I don't know, I just wanted to do something like we used to. It's okay for you, you still get to go out into the field with your Shadow Broker work."

"Less and less these days, I can't just go off at the drop of a hat. I've you to consider."

"See? I'm a burden on you."

"Shepard! Stop being silly. Shall I help you out of that armour?"

"Hm. May as well, seems I won't be needing it."

"Come on then. Do you want to wear your dress blues for dinner?"

"That'd be something, I suppose."

Liara begins removing the armour components and dressing Verity in her uniform.

"I was going to wait until after dinner to announce this to you and Ash, but I think you need it now."

"Hm? What?"

"High command contacted me. You know that new frigate?"

"The SSV Tooting?"

"Yes. They want you to christen it on it's maiden voyage. And I'm sure they'll let you tour the ship, maybe have a look at the shooting range while you're there?"

"Hey! Ash! You hear that? We're going shooting on a frigate!"

"I hate space travel these days!" Ashley shouts back.

"You old grump! We'll get to shoot stuff and no-one can complain!"

Verity smiles at Liara.

"Thanks, Liara. And I'm sorry. I know I complain and get wound up in self pity. I don't mean to. It's just hard to be so damn incapacitated when it feels like the world around me has stood still or raced away, I can't quite work out which."

"I know this is difficult for you but try not to dwell on it. There. All dressed. You do still look good in a uniform, Shepard."

"Flatterer. Liara?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we cuddle and meld tonight? I just want to be with you as me. Not this old, wrinkly body."

"Oh, Shepard. Of course we can but you are always you to me."

"I love you, Liara T'Soni."

"And I love you, Verity Shepard. Let's go and eat eh?"

"Yea. And Liara?"

"Hm?"

Verity kisses Liara on the cheek.

"Thanks."


	12. Chapter 12

The shuttle lands on the barren planet. Two figures emerge. They walk slowly away from the craft then the larger figure stops.

"Here."

"Here?"

"Yes. I killed my own men, watched them bleed to be certain they were dead."

"Javik... That must have been... awful."

"It was necessary."

"Necessary or not, it must have been terrible."

"You were never a soldier, asari."

"No. But I did what had to be done when it needed doing."

"Indeed. That, I find admirable."

"Are you sure this is what you want? The Reapers are defeated, the galaxy is at peace, don't you want to..."

"I have achieved what I came for. I have no place here in your galaxy."

"Hmm."

"And what of you, asari? What will you do now?"

Liara pauses for a moment, her hands fidgeting.

"I... without Shepard, I can't... my galaxy is gone too."

"Oh?"

"I think I knew when I said I wanted to fly you here, but... I do not think I can do it."

"And you think I can?"

"I... thought that..."

"I am a soldier, asari, not a butcherer."

Tears fall from Liara's face at the prospect of living a thousand more years alone.

"Please... I can't."

Javik places his arm around Liara.

"You are sure that this is what you want?"

Liara slowly and sadly nods.

"Then I am ready. Are you?"

Her breath quickens as she nods again.

"Thank you, Javik."

Javik takes out his pistol and places it against Liara's head. He holds her firmly to counter her wincing. Her breath is erratic and short as she looks ahead, blinking quickly and eyes darting about as though seeing something in the wasteland in front of them.

"Goodbye, Liara T'Soni."

"Shepard..?"

The weapon fires. Javik releases Liara's limp body, letting it slump to the floor, then places the pistol to his own head.

"For the Empire!"

The weapon fires again.


	13. Chapter 13

Liara walks into Verity's quarters of the Normandy SR-1 and sits on the edge of the bed, fidgeting about. Verity just watches her for a moment, laying on her bed in a cropped vest top and knickers. She has noted that Liara rarely sits comfortably, always repositioning herself, adjusting her underwear. She leans over to her bedside draw to take out a pack of new cotton knickers, pulls a pair out and throws them at Liara.

"I dunno what the hell you asari make yours out of but try those."

"Oh, they feel soft."

Liara undresses down to her underwear, slips off her asari made knickers and pulls on the cotton ones. Feeling their elastic softness, she pulls them up tight, then loosens them slightly with her forefingers, sliding under the seam.

"By the goddess! What are they made from?"

"Cotton?"

"What's that? A compound?"

"No. It's like a plant fibre. It's weaved with rubber compounds to make them fit well. Nothing man-made comes even close."

"They're so snug and comfortable."

"What? Is cotton unique to Earth? There's nothing like it anywhere else?"

"Not that I've experienced. If I want comfortable underwear it has to be silk and you know how much of a pain that is. Do these launder easily?"

"Yea, just chuck them in the wash no problem. People fought and died over cotton in Earth's history."

"Mmm, I can see why."

Liara strokes her backside at the seam of the underwear.

"Well that's that then."

"What?"

"Once this is all over, I'm opening a double fronted shop on Thessia: Belgian chocolate one side, cotton underwear the other. I'll be a billionaire in no time."

"You know, Liara..." Verity kneels on the edge of the bed.

"Yes...?"

"The whiteness of those pants against your lovely blue skin..."

"Oh, I see now. This was all just a ruse to get me standing here in my underwear."

Liara pushes Verity back onto the bed and smiles coyly for a moment.

"Shepard...?"

"Yes..?"

"Can I ask something?"

"Of course, what?"

"Will you grow your hair for me?"

"You want to see me with long hair? I like it like this." Verity says, tugging at her short tufts.

"Oh. Maybe I am not being specific. Not many species have hair."

"Oh... I see... to be honest, Liara, it's not a pretty sight."


	14. Chapter 14

As she lay in her bed in her cabin, the flash in her head was painful, dark and nauseating. Commander Verity Shepard awakes in what appears to be a cell, basic and uncomfortable, wearing her N7 armour and side arm. The panel on the door of this room seems to be active and indicating its open status. After sitting a moment on the edge of the hard 'bed' to shake off the drowsiness, she stands and taps the panel. The door opens to what looks like a waiting or reception area with chairs and coffee tables scattered around. Verity pops her head out and looks quickly left then right. No-one in the immediate area. There is another door on the opposite wall. As she walks further into the waiting area the door opposite opens. Verity pulls her pistol from her hip and waits to see who or what is coming.

A familiar, yet not familiar figure exits, with dark hair and pale complexion, grabbing her own side arm upon seeing Verity. She also wears N7 armour.

"Identify yourself." Verity demands.

"Ditto." the woman responds.

"Commander Shepard, Council Spectre, Earth Systems Alliance Navy."

The woman's eyebrows raise then she smiles as she places her pistol back on her hip.

"Hm. Ditto again, it seems."

"What?"

"You did look kind'a familiar but... not... you know?" she says, now relaxing against a pillar, quite aloof.

"Hm." Verity reluctantly agrees.

"So who's gone mad then? Me or you? Which one of us is the figment of the other's imagination? Oh, _Vanity_ Shepard, by the way. You?"

"Really? 'Vanity'? Our mother gave you that name?"

"Well. No. I changed it. What's wrong with Vanity? Better than that stupid pious name my parents gave me, whoever they were... 'Verity'... ugh..."

Despite trying to hide it, the hurt look on Verity's face gives her name away. She'd always liked her name; meaning 'truth'. Vanity sees the look.

"Oh. My. God. You're a 'Verity', aren't you?"

"What's going on? Why are we here?" Verity asks, changing the subject.

"Who knows... With everything that's been going on recently, I'm not really surprised that something like this has happened."

"I don't have time for this... whatever it is that's going on here. I need to get back to the Normandy, we're en route to Tachunka. The genophage needs to be cured!"

"What? Really? You're going ahead with that?"

"What?"

"Come on, that's just asking for trouble. You reckon Wreav is gonna just back down after the war is over? Nah, it'll be the krogan rebellions all over again. I'm not gonna let that happen."

"Wreav...? Wrex is the krogan in charge and I trust him with my life. He'll do the right thing. There'll be peace in the galaxy."

"Wrex? Urdnot Wrex? He died on Virmire."

"He died?"

"Yea, he wouldn't back down over the genophage cure Saren had developed so I had to kill him." Vanity says, mimicking a gunshot with her finger and a 'pop' with her mouth.

"Oh... I knew that might have been a possibility over the genophage but... I talked him round. Why didn't you?!"

"Aaah we didn't have time for that, Saren needed to be stopped. So I got that krogan out of the way, we set the ordinance and boom, job done."

"'That krogan'?"

"What? What's the big deal over some krogan merc?"

"You killed one of your greatest allies."

"Maybe yours is more noble but the Wrex I knew was a typical krogan killing machine. They're a blight on our galaxy, he said as much himself. No way I'm curing the genophage. I'm going to take the Dalatrass's advice and sabotage the cure. We could do with salarian support."

Verity just stands open mouthed at Vanity's words.

"I don't get this..." she finally says.

"What?"

"We're both Shepard but our lives are so different. The choices, the things we've done."

"Yea, well, I'm trying not to think about that. Whatever this is, I doubt we can understand it."

"Hm. Now I'm curious."

"About?"

"What else is different?"

"Brought up on Earth. I was an orphan." Vanity declares.

"Oh. No, I was brought up by my parents on the colony of Mindoir."

"How nice for you. Growing up on Earth as an orphan was hell."

"My parents were killed by slavers when I was around sixteen. It was no bed of roses living in the colonies."

"Anyway, so we had different starts. Curiosity satisfied?"

"Not really. I'm wondering about recent history, the reapers, Cerberus, all that."

"Why? Does it matter?"

"I don't know. I'm just curious."

"Well. After we stopped Sovereign and the new council was formed..."

"The what?"

"The new council?"

"Why is there a new council in your, ummm... dimension?"

"Okay, we'll go with that for now. There's a 'new council' because the 'old council' done did died in the Sovereign attack. Couldn't spare the fleets, needed to concentrate on Sovereign, yarder, yarder, new council!"

"You let them die?!"

"Hell yea! They never did anything for Earth, why should Earth do anything for them? Anyway, the new council was exactly like the last one. There's always replacements waiting in the wings for these bastards."

"There were thousands of lives aboard the Destiny's Ascension!"

"No human lives."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing. You sound like... Terra Firma or the Illusive Man!"

"Your point being?"

"You're not even offended by that?"

"Ugh... you sound like Doctor T'Soni..."

"'Doctor T'Soni'?"

"You do have a Doctor T'Soni in your crew?"

"Yea, but I call her 'Liara'."

"Hm. How familiar. Wait... did you... when she said...? You screwed her on the SR-1 didn't you?!"

"What? Don't be so crude!"

"I don't dig aliens so I batted her off when she made a pass. She's useful but a bit clingy at times, I try to keep her at arms length. Unfortunately," Vanity sighs, "Williams just doesn't swing that way."

"Oh..."

"What?"

"You're gay?"

"Yea. You're not?"

"No."

"But Doctor T'Soni?"

"She's not technically a woman."

"You tell yourself that, do you?"

"What? She's not."

"Yea. Whatever. You're gay. You're just in denial, hiding behind that 'she's not technically a woman' thing. She's got nice T'n'A, even I've noticed that."

"Are you always so blunt?"

"Do I always speak my mind, you mean? Yea. And while we're on the subject... you've never wondered then?"

"Wondered what?"

"Well. Here we are. Shepard and Shepard. You've never wondered what it'd be like to do yourself?"

"You're disgusting."

"I had to ask. Imagine it though. Me, you, Liara..."

"Just shut up, will you?"

A silence follows.

"Wonder why we're here?" Vanity eventually breaks the silence. "What's the point of shoving us two together? Are we here forever?"

"God, I hope not."

"So are you some kind of goodie-goodie hero lady or something?"

"I try to do the right thing. Such as saving the council..."

"You went to Noveria a few years back?"

"Yes..."

"Hm. Rachni run rampant in your dimension I presume then? What happened with that?"

"The rachni queen, you mean?"

"Yea."

"She's hiding away somewhere. She sent a kind of emissary, telling me she still intends to keep away from the rest of society."

"Really? Hm. Who'd of thunk it eh?"

"I suppose you killed her?"

"Yup. Melted right before my eyes. I erred on the side of caution. Seems I might have been wrong there but in the long run, who knows?"

"If we get a long run."

"Huh?"

"This still might be the end for us. The reapers are still here, we haven't won yet."

"Yea..."

"How is it for you? The war?" Verity asks.

"Not good. We're basically living on hope."

"Yea. Same here..."

Both reflect a moment on this and the incarceration preventing their work. While their assessments of each other would not be glowing, they see the tired desperation on each other's faces, the emotional scars of their lives thus far, no matter how different their paths to get here have been.

"This is _frustrating!_" Verity cries out as she bangs her fist against the wall.

"Okay, I'm going to work on one of these panels here. See if we can get somewhere and maybe some answers."

Before Vanity is able to reach a panel, the same painful flash that brought them here releases them back to their own cabins.

* * *

"Hey, Liara."

She was working on her console in the XO's office but Liara gives her full attention when her commanding officer enters.

"Hello, Commander Shepard. Rather informal of you today? Not that I mind. Do you wish to discuss any information I've amassed?"

"Um... no. Just came to er... chat."

"Oh. Well. What do you want to chat about, Commander Shepard?"

"I don't... know... but... regardless, at ease, Liara, and you don't have to keep calling me 'Commander'. You're not actually Alliance."

"Okay then, 'Shepard'." Liara beams, never dreaming that Shepard would be so personable with her.

"I'm interested in asari culture..."


	15. Chapter 15

"Echo!"

"Ash!" Tali admonishes.

"What?"

"I don't know. Just seems... disrespectful."

"Sorry. Just always thought there was good acoustics in here. Let's get some light in here." Ashley says, fumbling for the panel. "Here we go."

Light fills the apartment and they stop and stare, speechless a moment; the apartment does not seem to have changed at all. What to do with her apartment in the wake of Shepard's sacrifice to end the cycles was low down on the list of priorities so has sat empty since. Liara enters, creating a moment of apprehension in Tali and Ashley at her upcoming reaction.

"I don't know if this was such a good idea now." Liara says, her voice slightly broken.

"Come on, Liara." Tali encourages. "It'll be good to see the old gang."

"But here? This was where we... before..."

Liara looks to the piano in the corner then slowly walks to it to tinkle the only tune she knows how to play. She completes just a few bars and goes to the large windows, opening the blinds as she looks at the hustle and bustle of Silversun Strip below.

"Do you think they appreciate what we did? What Shepard did? Do you think they even care any more?"

"Liara..." Ashley says.

"Sorry."

Liara turns away from the window then stops with a sharp inhale, startled by something she sees. Ashley looks to what has stunned her so. The hooded top that Shepard had irreverently slapped an N7 patch onto lays tossed over the back of the couch, as though she had only just left it there. Liara picks up the top, smiles, then tosses it over her shoulder, not actually wearing it but almost hugging it, holding it to her nose a moment to check if Shepard's scent remains.

"So many memories..." Liara states at no-one in particular.

"I'll get the supplies out and some tea on the go, eh?" Ashley says.

"Mm. Tea. Yes. That'd be nice. Did you manage to get the Earl Grey?" Liara asks then returns to the piano to tinkle her tune again.

"Yes, I got the Earl Grey." Ashley replies with a tired sarcastic tone. "And the breakfast tea. And yes, I know, one heaped spoon of each in the pot. Unless your tea demands have changed recently?"

"No, that's fine. That'll be all, Miss Williams." Liara waves Ashley away, then smiles naughtily.

Ashley gait widens as she folds her arms at the facetious action.

"Don't push it, T'Soni. I don't know why you can't just use a bag like the rest of the galaxy."

"You have to use real leaves, brewed in a pot, to make a good cup of tea."

Liara continues to play on the piano. The last time she played this melody was with Shepard as they spent time together here, just them. They just hung out, Liara doing some work in the quiet of the apartment, Shepard exploring her new surroundings further. Like a couple might just potter about at the weekend, smiles as they pass each other, a glance, a touch. Liara almost shares some of these memories with the group but then stops herself, fearful their fragile nature might be broken if released. Her memories of Shepard are not the same as others. She was her lover first, everything else didn't matter. Had it been simpler times without the threat of total annihilation, those feelings wouldn't have changed. She lost more than just a leader, or an inspirational figure; she lost her only true friend. Liara would trust the band of warriors Shepard gathered with her life but she was never a combatant, never bonded in battle such as the rest. She feels she only did what needed to be done, nothing more. Now, as there is nothing more to be done, Liara is restless in her mind. What is she going to do with another thousand years left to live?

Tali joins Ashley in the kitchen to help unpack the food and supplies they have brought.

"Is Liara okay, you think?" Tali quietly asks.

"Hm. Suppose seeing the place again wasn't going to be easy but she'll be okay I reckon, once the gang are here to liven things up a bit."

"This was a nice idea, Ash. Has it really been a year since we had our party here? Kee'lah, it only seems like... I've just been so busy. I suppose we all have. I don't know if any of us would have found the time if you hadn't been so persistent about a re-union."

"Someone's got to keep you reprobates in order. Seems like only an Alliance commander and Spectre can do that..."

"Oh you are so not going to make that comparison."

"Yea, you're right. I'm far more glamorous than she ever was."

They laugh then sigh as reality returns that there is no more Shepard, being together like this makes it easy to forget she is gone. Ashley still misses her, not just her commanding officer but the one with whom she could share banter and let off steam. For Tali, once she had begun commanding her own squads for the quarian fleet, it was Shepard her mind turned to as her example, her role model after her experiences on the SR-1. They both still draw on her memory at times.

"Tea, Ash?" Tali asks.

"Nah. Never was much of a one for tea. I hope you made it right, Liara's quite fussy about her tea."

Ashley seems to pause in thought for a moment, just staring blankly.

"Something wrong, Ash?"

"Hm? Oh. No. I was just thinking."

"Anything you want to share?"

"Well. I know we were just joking then but, I'm the same rank and status as Shepard now. Command my own ship representing the Alliance, council Spectre, high profile missions, blah de blah de blah, you know what I mean."

"Hm. So?"

"I do my job and though I say so myself, I do it well. Or at least, I try."

"That's not in doubt is it?"

"Oh. No. That's not my point."

"Go on."

"Well. If the shit hit the fan and something like the reapers, or the geth, or collectors or _whatever_ comes along again, and the galaxy came knocking on my door, asking me to do something about it, could I? I don't know how Shepard used to keep it together. Whatever was going on there she was, doing what needed to be done, always knew where she was and what was next."

"You can't beat yourself up because you're not Commander Shepard, Ash."

"It's not that. It's just, some day I might have to be the one who steps up. I'm worried I wouldn't know where to start."

"Well... you'd start by getting your friends around you, to support you, to make sure the job gets done even when it seems hopeless. You might not be Shepard but regardless, _that_, you _do_ share. You're not alone, Ash."

Ashley smiles at Tali's assessment.

"Thanks, Tali. This get together was a good idea already."

"We learned the hard way about sticking together after the SR-1 was destroyed. If we'd stayed together as a team after that, kept on investigating, I don't know... I feel like they were wasted years. That maybe, we could have prepared more, we could have saved more lives, or stopped them sooner. Why did we do that, Ash? We knew the reapers were coming but we all just wandered off and tried to resume our lives as though everything was normal. So many dead..."

"Hey, come on, Tali. The reapers killed those people, not us. Don't blame yourself for not knowing how to stop a legion of million year old, two kilometre high, advanced AIs."

"I just feel if we'd have done more during those years... then maybe Shepard..."

"Tali..."

"I know. I can't live on 'what if'. I'm okay. I'm just letting off a little steam."

"You do a good job though. 'Boss'."

"I still have trouble keeping a straight face when you need to speak with the council."

"Haha, I thought I was imagining that due to not being used to quarian faces!"

"Unfortunately not. Anyway, if you listen to some of to the quarian press you'd think I was about to bring down hundreds of years of culture and history with my 'radical reforms'. "

"That's progress!"

"Haha, you said it."

"I hope you're not letting that tea stew!" Liara calls from the living room, now sitting on one of the long couches by the fireplace.

"Oh! Err, no!" Tali shouts back, as she quickly pours the tea into a cup with matching saucer then adds the smallest of dashes of milk and stirs it.

"Hmm." Ashley assesses. "Looks about right. I'd chance it."

Tali takes the tea through to Liara and places it on the low coffee table. Liara inspects its colour, nods then returns to her thoughts. Approval now given, Tali returns to the kitchen.

"There's still a few hours 'til everyone else turns up. Shall we go watch the extranet for a while? There's some vids I wouldn't mind catching up on." she says.

"Tali. Do I really want to watch a load of creepy fan films about 'Fleet and Flotilla'?"

"Did you know that the leading lady..."

"Got sick, yea, you've said before. Many times. I'm shutting this conversation down now. You go watch your vids, I'll find something else to do."

"Hm!" Tali replies, then heads into the 'den' to use the large screen.

Ashley moves into the living room to join Liara on the couch.

"You okay, Liara?"

"Oh yes, yes, I'm just being a bit silly. I'm fine, really."

"Is the tea to madam's liking?"

Liara brings up the cup to her mouth daintily, takes a sip, then pretends to be po-faced.

"It's a little darker than one is used to but it shall suffice, Williams."

"You want to do anything until the others arrive?"

"I'm fine here, thanks. If you want to head to the casino or dare I say it, the Armax Arena, you go ahead. Just don't break anything throwing yourself around the arena."

"Yes, mom!"

"Well you don't want to ruin the party you organised by injuring yourself before we even get started."

"You're probably right. If anything, it's nice, though a little disconcerting, to have nothing to do. Usually there's the world and his wife needing assistance for this, that and the other. Feel like I haven't slept in months."

"Are you okay filling Shepard's shoes?" Liara asks.

"What?"

"Oh. I don't mean... I just mean now that you're the main focus. Spectre representing humanity and all that."

"Yea... I was just talking about that with Tali. I know I'm no Shepard and that's what's daunting sometimes, whether I'd cope under the kind of stresses she was under."

"You'd need not cope alone."

"That's pretty much what Tali just said."

"Because it's true. If it came to it, any one of us would drop everything to help."

"Yea, I know."

"We have peace for now. The first time this galaxy has really known it. We should try to enjoy it at least. Cynical as it is to say, who knows how long peace might last?"

"Yea. I'm just restless. Haven't had time on my hands for a while."

The apartment buzzer sounds.

"Who's first to arrive then?" Ashley says as she goes to the intercom.

"_Hey Ash! Let a girl in, will you!"_

"Alright, Traynor, calm down. Buzzing you in now."

A few moments later and Samantha enters the apartment, a large holdall over her shoulder. She drops it gently and lets out a huge sigh.

"Whew! That's heavy!"

"What you got there? Dead body?"

"Better than that!"

Samantha unzips the holdall and pulls out a bottle of sparkling wine.

"Booze!"

"Bit early, isn't it?" Ashley says.

"Is this going to be a party or what? Come on! We got here early, we get to start early."

Without hesitation Samantha pulls off the foil wrapper and commences popping the cork, which flies off with a satisfying bang.

"Oh! Crikey! Bugger!" Samantha shouts, as she realises there are no glasses to take the bubbles now pouring from the bottle. She places her mouth over the end of the bottle in an attempt to contain the spillage which then forces its way out of her nose and she splutters, letting a further flow of the fizzy alcohol to gush onto the floor.

"Ummm... mop?" Samantha says, grinning at her own clumsiness.

"I thought things were only going to get destroyed once the boys turned up." Liara says calmly.

"Well now I've drenched myself in ale, I may as well make use of that hot tub upstairs to clean up..."

"You're obsessed, Traynor." Ashley says.

"The term is obsessive, Commander."

"I know what I meant."

Traynor makes her way to the stairs when Ashley calls after her.

"Just don't leave your 'adjustable massage wands' lying around this time!"

"They weren't mine! They were Kahlee Sanders'!"

"You used another woman's...? And that makes it better some how?!"

"You're just jealous." Samantha retorts then continues on her way.

"Ashley! Do you have to?" Liara says.

"I'm only playing..."

"I know. But even so."

"Okay, okay, I'll lay off."

Ashley goes to inspect the holdall Samantha has brought.

"Jeez, what kind of a party is she expecting? Rum, whiskey, gin, vodka, beer, more champaign..."

"Well we won't run dry then anyway. James said he was bringing beer supplies too."

"Oh man, what have I done? I just hope the boys don't start running manoeuvres in the snug again."

"Oh they were only playing."

"I dunno. I'm sure Zaeed was getting that distant look in his eye. He could'a turned at any point!"

"That's Zaeed on a normal day. I wouldn't worry."

"Yea. Anyway! I'm going to shower and decide what to wear."

"Do you want any help?"

"You want to help me...?"

"With the outfit! You _are_ in a funny mood today, Ash."

"Oh the outfit! Sure, we can girly it up. You know what you're wearing?"

"Hm. Maybe. I'll bring along my things and you can help me too. Though I could scrub your back if you like?"

"Hilarious, T'Soni. But yea, I'll give you a shout when I'm done in the shower. We can glam up and be the belles of the ball!"

"And well done, Ash. You didn't bat an eyelid."

"What?"

"When I said James was bringing more beer."

"Hey! We agreed that _that_ never gets mentioned again. We were at the precipice of doom and we just... me and James... you know!"

"Yes well, if you feel like you're at that precipice again this evening, do you want pulling back or to just fall into those chunky arms again?"

"I'm getting a shower. I hope you choke on your tea."

Ashley goes to the downstairs bedroom to use the en suite shower while Liara continues to sit and smirks slightly at her successful jibes at Ashley, sipping her tea, which is actually quite well made.


	16. Chapter 16

Liara sits in the downstairs bedroom of the apartment. Music drifts in from the living room, the sounds of guests talking and laughing. She doesn't feel ready to face them just yet. She hasn't seen most since the battle for Sol. They have yet to give their sympathetic look for her loss. Liara knows they would mean well but she feels she has overcome the worst and would rather not go through it all again.

"Liara?!" Ashley calls, having decided on wearing a long, navy blue, strapless dress, the kind she knew she'd be pulling back up to save her blushes all night, but timeless in its style. "Come on! I think everyone's here now!"

"Alright! I was just... I'm coming!"

Liara rises and looks into the mirror. She chose a yellow dress, tight fitting in the body, loose in the legs, showing off her figure. She finds in her life now that she drifts towards her mother's memory more, inserting in her life that which she can to remain connected to the beautiful woman who raised her, not the monster who wanted to kill her. Liara straightens her dress and gives herself a little smile then walks out to the party.

"Doctor T'Soni." James Vega greets her with reverence and a nod in the water-featured corridor.

The first time James saw Liara she almost flew out of an air duct then killed the two Cerberus troopers pursuing her without pause or remorse. Not how she would design a first impression, though James had indeed been impressed.

"I haven't been able to speak with you yet but I just wanted to give my condo..." he begins.

"I know you mean well but... not tonight, please, James." she says with a smile.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"No. I'm sorry. I just want to have some normal time tonight. Sorry."

"No problemo, Doctor T'Soni. I understand."

"It _is _good to see you though, James." Liara says, giving a brief friendly cheek kiss.

"Aw. Thanks, Doctor T'Soni. That means a lot." he coyly says.

"You _can_ call me Liara, you know."

"Wouldn't feel right. Feel almost... disrespectful."

"Have you put me on a pedestal, Lieutenant?"

"Wuu... well, I..." James replies.

Liara pats James gently on the cheek.

"You've gone a little red, James."

"Well I... hey! Party!" he suddenly animatedly says to change the subject.

"Quite right, James." Liara agrees as she links arms with him with a grin to lead him into the living room where most seem to be.

"Hello everyone!" she shouts as she enters, James looking embarrassed.

The brief conversation with James lifted her mood and she decided to fight fire with fire. Don't give them the chance to pity her, just go in guns blazing.

"Liara!" Samara cries. "Your dress is amazing! The colour suits you perfectly."

Since the Justicar order fell, Samara has returned to Thessia to take her place as a Matriarch and visits Falere as often as she can to make up for all the missed years. The dark actions and lives she took as a Justicar are hard to shake off but she focuses on re-building Thessia and a relationship with her only remaining daughter. She herself wears a short stylish, black, cocktail style dress, still probably covering more than her old armour ever did.

"Thanks, Samara. Regular life seems to be treating you well, you don't look so bad yourself."

"One tries, though the years catch us all eventually." she humbly offers.

"If that's ageing for asari, I'm in the wrong species." Traynor says.

"To living in the moment!" Ashley shouts a toast. "God knows some of us 'lesser species' need to."

"Oh! I haven't got a drink." Liara says.

"And what would madame like?" Garrus offers with his roguish charm.

"Mmmm. G and T, please, Garrus."

"Be right back."

"Um. What's Grunt doing?" Liara asks.

"No!" Grunt shouts at the intercom, resuming the bouncer duties he so enjoys.

"_Come on, man!" _the bearded man on the screen shouts, _"Me and Shepard go way back!"_

"And I like country walks in the summer with my girlfriend! No!" Grunt replies, raising his hand to cut the connection.

"Wait!" Ashley shouts.

"Huh? You know this idiot?"

"Yea. Sorta. Let him in."

"Hm. Your lucky day, dweeb." Grunt says, then buzzes him in.

The awkward looking man enters, looking a little lost.

"Conrad!" Ashley shouts, beckoning him to the fireside.

"Hi. I heard about you guys having a party here to celebrate Shepard and... I wanted to pay my respects."

"Well we're just having a party, no specifics really. You're welcome to hang out. There's drinks at the bar in the snug back there and food around the tables. We've got big flags on the platters indicating dextro and non-dextro. Isn't that right, Tali?"

"Shut up, Ashley." Tali responds dismissively.

"So how have you been, Conrad?" Liara asks cordially.

"Oh. You know." he replies, looking around in awe at the guests.

"Hm." Liara says.

"Well, I re-started 'Shepards', you know, my orphanage? Seemed the right thing to do in the wake of... well, you know. My way of showing my support and... respect..." his voice breaks up, "I'm okay, I'm okay. I promised myself I wouldn't... cry..."

"It's okay, Conrad. Why don't you have a seat here? There we go."

"I can't believe she's gone! Commander Shepard! Who do we look to now?"

"Come on, Conrad."

"I'm sorry. I've just been so lost since we lost her."

"Oi!" a gravelly voice shouts from the snug on the other side of the fireplace. "Shut the fuck up and stop with the whingin' already! We're trying to 'ave a fuckin' party 'ere!"

"Zaeed!" Liara shouts, as though berating a child.

"What?" Zaeed shouts back.

"Oh just... just... oh never mind!"

The sudden emotions from Conrad and the to and fro with Zaeed have caught Liara off guard and she flusters.

"Liara..." Ashley says, "calm down."

"But... Conrad here was upset and Zaeed was being horrible and it reminded me about Shepard and I miss her too but I didn't want to make Conrad feel bad for..."

Liara stops mid-flow. She's not sure even what she was saying now, she just feels that pain return into her chest.

"Oh Ashley! She's gone, she's really gone! I knew I shouldn't have come!"

Her face contorts a little as she fights tears and she throws her face into her hands then runs from the party to the stairs and up. The music continues but the party has halted somewhat.

* * *

Ashley enters the bedroom where Liara is hiding herself, sitting on the edge of the bed, still embarrassed and upset.

"Hey." Ashley says.

"Hi, Ash..." Liara replies, a dejected tone in her voice. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your party."

Ashley sits next to her.

"I'm sorry too, Liara. I should have known you weren't up for this. Sorry for putting you through it."

"No. Life goes on. Whether I ever come to terms with this or not, you can't dance around me for the rest of your lives. I'm okay with my broker work."

"What? You want to just sit out the rest of your life being a recluse? No way, T'Soni. You try that, I'll be banging on your door every day to drag you out to see the real world."

"Hm." Liara smiles. "I think you probably would."

"I'm not going to pretend to understand what you've been through, what you're going through, but... you're not just a squad mate, Liara, you're my friend. We've been in this together since the start. If I let you give up now, it'd be like none of this was even worth doing. I owe it Shepard if nothing else."

"Shepard..." Liara says. "I feel like such an idiot. How can I go back down there now?"

"Because, Doctor T'Soni, they're your friends and they understand." Ashley replies, standing and offering her hand to Liara.

"Let me just wash up a little, I must look a right state. I'll be down in a second, I promise."

"You'd better be..."

"And, Ash?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."


	17. Chapter 17

Liara looks into the sparse dormitory room, housing just two beds with twin bedside cabinets and two wardrobes, then she looks back along the long corridor she just walked where other new students are already engaged in excited conversation, then she sighs. Liara just cannot make new friends that easily. She enters her new room, sits on her designated left hand bed then sighs again.

"Could be worse, I suppose." she says to herself.

Liara opens her holdall, hangs her few clothes in the wardrobe, and places her datapads on the bedside cabinet then sits again. It is now a sparse dormitory room with some datapads in it.

"Hey there!" a voice calls from the doorway.

A little startled, Liara looks up to see what she presumes is a fellow student.

"Oh. Hello." Liara says.

"So we're gonna be roomies, eh?" she says entering and flinging her large holdall across the room, sending it skidding until it halts with a bump against her bedside cabinet.

"Oh, you must be Fenutia."

"Sure am. And you must be Liara."

"Yes. Nice to meet you."

"Yea. Swell. So..." Fenutia leaps up to land flat on her bed with a bounce, "what we got scoped out?"

"Umm... what do you mean?"

"Best bars? Any parties? You know! Who's who? What's what?"

"Oh... I would not know that sort of thing... I am here to study."

"Well you're gonna be a barrel of laughs then, ain't you?"

"I grew up on Thessia in Armali." Liara attempts to move the conversation on. "Where are you from?"

"Oh. I grew up around the Terminus Systems. Mom and dad were traders so we travelled a lot."

"That must have been exciting."

"Yea... dangerous sometimes too... we traded out of Illium mostly so it wasn't so bad. Anyway! You and me, let's go hang out in the courtyard, that seems to be where things go down around here."

"I do not know... I..."

"What? What's the problem?"

"It is just... I am just... not very good at meeting new people..." Liara feels herself almost shrivel up as she says it.

"What? We see some interesting people and say 'hi', because we're just, you know, fellow students, and if we get talking and we get into one of the cool parties, then great!"

"Hmm. Then what?"

"Then what? We get off our faces with the cool crowd, that's what!"

"Drinking?!" Liara's eyes widen with a little terror.

"Yea! Or whatever else they got going on." Fenutia says with a knowing wink.

"Oh! Oh, I do not know about that... mother would have a fit if she found out..."

"Ugh... mummy's girl, eh?"

"Hm." Liara frowns. "You are actually quite rude."

"Well you sit there with your datapads, I'm going down to the courtyard."

"Okay, then! 'bye!" Liara says brightly, then once Fenutia has gone, "...it's worse."

Liara picks up one of her datapads, sits back on her bed and begins cataloguing her Prothean papers. She had hoped to find like-minded students, fascinated with the mysteries of the past but so far only encountered frivolity and recklessness. Liara hopes that at least the faculties themselves take education more seriously.

Two fellow students wander by her open doorway and stop to chat. This would not normally be a problem except that they have just come from the showers and would seem to be more free-spirited than Liara with regard to their bodies. Liara quickly gets off her bed, harrumphs and closes her door. They might all be asari and they might all be female but that doesn't stop Liara getting embarrassed by any perceived sexuality. She returns to her cataloguing and tries not to think about the wanton abandon of the first flush of youth no doubt happening all around her.

Liara is by no means asexual, she just has great difficulty opening up to people. The thought of baring her thoughts and feelings with another terrifies her. To become physically intimate with another just makes her face burn with embarrassment, her fears to expose herself so completely to another seem insurmountable. Liara is not naïve about such things but she is in no hurry, there is plenty of time for all that life has to offer.

Her door opens again and an athletically built, but thankfully dressed, asari enters.

"Hey! Eerrrr... Liara, is it?"

"Yes? Can I help you?" Liara answers, looking up from her datapad.

"We're getting together a dorm skyball team, you want in?"

"Oh. Oh, I am not very good at sports." Liara says frankly.

"Hm. Bookish sort are we, eh..." the asari looks at the name plates on the door, "'Doctor T'Soni'?"

"Oh, I am not a doctor yet. I do hope to be one day, though. I have lots of ideas on the lost civilization of the Protheans, would you like to read one of my..."

The asari holds up her hand to stop Liara and opens her mouth as though about to speak but only gets as far as, "Uh..." then finishes with, "Where exactly are you from?" as though enquiring of a new species.

"I am from Armali. I live there with my mother. Well. I used to..."

"Anyway, 'Doctor T'Soni', I think you need to learn when someone is making a joke."

"Oh... oh you were being facetious? That is not very nice."

Between this student and Fenutia's sarcastic remarks, Liara is becoming more self-conscious than usual. Quite a feat.

"So you don't want in on the skyball team, I hear you."

"'bye then!" Liara says brightly as the student turns to leave.

"Yea," she looks back with a quizzical look, "see you around, Doctor."

Liara isn't sure about this new nickname but feels herself burn a little that she didn't realise she was being mocked.

"Idiot." she says to herself with a slap of the forehead.

* * *

"Li!"

"Shiala!" Liara cries out, the first friendly face she has seen since she arrived. "But what are you doing here?"

Shiala paces up to lean against the doorway. Liara has found countless ways to catalogue her papers, filling time until the term's lectures begin and puts her datapad to one side.

"Just had some business for your mother with the council and thought I'd pop my head in while I'm here."

"I'm so glad to see you, Shiala."

"So how's it going? Any new friends to speak of, if you know what I mean?" Shiala grins with raised eyebrows.

"Hmm." Liara looks sheepish. "I am not very good at making new friends. Of any sort."

"Are you okay?"

Shiala sits next to Liara on the bed, sensing something is not quite right. Liara cannot hide it any longer as her bottom lip curls.

"No. Not really. I thought university was going to be about learning and it is not. It is all parties and drinking and... other things."

"Hm. When I asked which room you were in, some of the girls called you 'Doctor'?"

"Yes. One of the girls called me Doctor T'Soni because I am academic. Oh it was awful, Shiala. I did not even realise she was joking and I said 'Oh I am not a doctor yet'. Goddess, I am so stupid sometimes!"

"Hey, come on, Li! I'm sure they're just pulling your leg."

"I miss Armali and my park. And I miss mother. I do not fit in here at all. I almost I wish had not..."

"Liara T'Soni, don't you dare say it." Shiala interrupts sternly. "You've _always_ wanted to study archaeology at Serrice. Ever since I've known you and you were a little girl, it's been your dream. Don't let a few idiots get in the way of that."

"Hmm." Liara resigns. "No, I suppose you are right."

"Come on." Shiala beckons.

"Where?"

"Let's take a ride. Give you some perspective."

"Do you have a car?"

"Do I have a car?" Shiala asks rhetorically with a laugh.

They exit the dorm building and Shiala leads Liara to a campus car park and onto a shining, sleek, black vehicle with darkened windows. Shiala activates her omnitool and the doors swing upwards to open.

"I do not know much about cars but this one looks nice." Liara comments.

"Hell yea, jump in."

Liara gets into the passenger seat while Shiala jumps energetically into the driver's seat.

"Ready? Let's go!"

The vehicle ascends straight up, accelerating at quite a rate, making Liara's stomach turn a little until it halts and hovers high above the campus. Shiala opens her door window and looks down.

"See all them down there?" she asks Liara.

"Yes?"

"What do you think they're all going to be doing when they leave university?"

"Umm... I do not know. Find work?"

"Yea, most likely. Boring, tedious work. They'll wish they'd made the most of this opportunity to discover what they can really do. But you? You've already started, you have a plan. You're going to make some amazing discoveries that change the way people think about this galaxy, and make your own mark on history. Don't let those idiots ruin that. You might feel a bit isolated now but you'll find some like-minded students once lectures start, I'm sure of it."

Liara smiles a misty smile.

"Thank you, Shiala. Really. I am so glad you came to visit."

"That said, don't forget to take your head out of your datapads now and again to look around. This is your chance to break out a little. You can meet all kinds of interesting people at uni. If you find someone special..."

"Shiala..."

"Well? I'm just saying, you're a great kid, Liara. I don't want to see you waste any of this. Meeting someone can be really special."

"Shiala...?" Liara coyly asks.

"Yes?"

"I know mother would probably have strict instructions but... can you at least tell me if my father is still alive?"

Shiala grips the steering yoke tightly, lets out a long sigh then looks at Liara with a sympathetic smile.

"I can't, Liara. I'm sorry."

"Is that because you do not know, or..."

"Liara..." Shiala cuts her off with a frown.

"Sorry..."

"I am too, Liara, really I am."

They sit in silence for a while and look at the grand view of the Serrice Campus below them.

"Well, we'd better get you back, eh?" Shiala eventually breaks the silence and descends the vehicle back towards the campus.

"Okay, then."

"Does everyone still hang out in the courtyard?"

"So I hear. Did you go to Serrice?"

"Yup. But I was like your idiot friends and squandered the opportunity. Ended up just being a commando. I was really lucky to get a place with your mother. Much more fulfilling than just security or merc work."

Shiala pilots the ship to hover above the courtyard. A large, circular, abstract mosaic makes up the bulk of the area, with grassy areas at the edges that the students use to sit on, and buildings forming the enclosure.

"Lots of people hanging around. Perfect. Let's get some tongues wagging shall we?" Shiala says as she reaches to the back seat of the car to grab her rifle and fixes it to her back, then swoops the car into the courtyard, scattering the students milling around on the mosaic.

"Shiala..." Liara says. "What are you...?"

"Just follow my lead."

The car then gently lands, Shiala jumps out, pulls her rifle from her back and indicates to Liara to exit, all with her eyes scanning the area for threats, quite hamming it up. Students have begun to return, forming a circle around the car and its occupants. Liara rather ruins the effect by exiting the car apologetically. A stern looking university lecturer storms from one of the buildings towards them, causing a channel through the crowd.

"This is a university courtyard, not the car park! What is the meaning of this?"

"I am here on official business for Lady Benezia." Shiala calls back. "It is also my duty to ensure the safety of the Matriarch's daughter and this location seemed the most secure to deliver her."

"Shiala..." the lecturer says knowingly. "I should have known. Not one of our most prestigious luminaries. Very well, if you are on official business for the Matriarch..."

Shiala looks to Liara and winks.

"See you around, Liara."

"Thanks, Shiala. For everything."

Shiala hops back into her car which then zips upwards at a rate.

"You have a commando for a bodyguard?" the athletic asari asks in disbelief, stepping up next to Liara to watch the car turn into a dot then disappear.

"Oh, she is more like a friend really." Liara says, attempting to play it down.

"You have commandos for friends?! I'd better watch my step with you, Doc! Matriarch's daughter, eh?"

"Yes. Mother advises at every level."

"You _are_ a dark horse. But... sorry I made fun of you. I was just playing."

"That is okay. I do not mind 'Doctor' so much, if no malice is meant."

"Nah, like I said, I was just playing. You know what us grunts are like! Flud, by the way."

"What?"

"My name. Flud."

"Oh. That's an... interesting name." Liara says as diplomatically as she can but knowing her surprise was evident.

"Yea. I get that a lot. My dad's hanar. What about you?"

Liara pauses a moment. She does know her father was asari but that in itself is a problem to some.

"I do not know who my father was."

"Oh... shame."

"So how did you end up...?" Liara begins but finds herself trailing off as she cannot think of a way of phrasing it politely and wishes she had thought of that before opening her mouth.

"How am I a meathead when I have a hanar for a father? They say kids rebel! I dunno, I just always preferred physical activity. I'm majoring in skyball, hoping to get seen by some college scout and make my name in the big leagues. Failing that, there's the military life. What about you?"

"I am going to study archaeology, specializing in the Prothean empire. I hope to eventually discover what caused their sudden and mysterious demise fifty thousand years ago."

"Well, it takes all sorts. I'll see you around, Doc." Flud says as she walks away with a wave.

A friend? Regardless of their chosen subjects, most asari will explore their biotic potential while at university and Liara's mother was quite insistent that her daughter does the same. Liara knows she will encounter all manner of asari from all corners of the galaxy when training, with plenty of opportunity for her mouth to get her into awkward situations. She is just thankful that she managed to hold a relatively normal conversation with Flud, and Liara hopes her future encounters with fellow students will be as innocuous. The fates would laugh if they had a voice.


	18. Chapter 18

The gleaming new craft approaches the dark hub of Omega. The mining facility faired well in the Reaper war with no direct assaults upon it, just the light damage caused by Cerberus. With the Reapers defeated, Shepard and Liara have given themselves time to just be together, wandering the galaxy in their own craft. For the moment, the Alliance, the Council, the Shadow Broker and even their friends can wait.

"Omega command, this is Commander Shepard of the Blue Angel requesting permission to dock."

"We have you on our scans, Blue Angel. Please proceed to bay Kappa-7."

Liara grins at Shepard, still amused by the ship name.

"It's a shame, really." she says.

"Hm?"

"Aria."

"Yea."

"When it came to the crunch though, she left Omega to fight the Reapers and defend the galaxy."

"Defend her interests..."

"Shepard!"

"Well?"

"I thought she was your friend."

"I might have liked her but I know what she was, what she was about."

"Hmm. I know coming here was my idea but it won't be the same without Aria."

"She was unique, I'll give you that. Wonder if the Talon are in charge now then?"

"I'm not certain that it will change a great deal, not matter who's running Omega. The populus isn't just going to change the habits of a lifetime over night. We're only here to visit. I know you've wanted to help stabilise the Terminus Systems but Omega is big. And old."

"I didn't say a word!"

"I know you. One thing out of place and you'll be off, investigating, getting yourself into trouble."

"And that's why you love me!"

"Just... one thing at a time, okay?"

"Sure! But really, I can't foresee any trouble. We're only really here to see if Nef's mom is okay."

Shepard swings the ship into the bay and the docking clamps fix the craft in place.

"Poor woman. I can only thank the goddess that you stopped Morinth before she truly ran rampant through the galaxy."

"I felt a little sorry for Morinth though."

"How so?"

"Well I know she'd say anything to justify herself but... she was right in one thing. None of it was her fault and she was to be caged like an animal for a disease."

"It's not quite that simple."

"Isn't it?"

"Well look at Rila and Falere. They accepted their lot and made the most of it, got their heads down in the monastery. The problem with Ardat Yakshi is not knowing who is pre-disposed to murder in the first place. Most will spend their days meditating on and reconciling their plight, never acting on those darker feelings. The likes of Morinth are no different, until they act."

"I don't like that though."

"Hm?"

"The assumption that they are _all_ dangerous and need to be locked up, regardless of action. Like you said, Rila and Falere have never been a threat to anyone."

"And as I said, it is only now, centuries later, that that could be said of them. If there were no strict regime to assure harm prevention, the risk would be too great. No, the monasteries have saved countless lives."

"I still don't like it."

"Anyway, shall we?" Liara offers the airlock to Shepard.

Shepard grabs Liara by the waist and animatedly kisses her cheek.

"What was that for?" Liara says, the sudden action surprising her.

"Because I love you."

Liara grins and pulls Shepard into a hug then pushes her back again.

"Come on, we'd better go. We can't just stay in here all day."

"We can't?"

"No!"

"Okay, the dirty streets of Omega it is then."

Shepard opens the airlock door and they exit to be greeted by a batarian.

"Commander Shepard." he nods with maximum reverence. "When I was informed of your arrival, I came to greet you immediately."

"Oh... thanks! Garka, isn't it?"

"Oh. Yes."

He offers the passage ahead then leads them to a familiar location; the plaza in front of the Afterlife nightclub.

"Garka." Liara acknowledges as she passes him, having met during her Omega visit all those years ago.

"Doctor T'Soni." Garka nods respectfully.

"Each of our syndicate will transfer five hundred thousand credits to your account. There will of course be regular tribute once full arrangements can be made."

"Hm." Shepard responds but allows him to continue as he leads them into the club. Something is going on she is not aware of and she stays alert. The club is out of hours, a state Shepard has only seen when the Cerberus General Petrovsky used the place for a base of operations. Garka presses a few buttons on a panel and the club fills with light.

"Operating costs means we don't run the club all hours any more. Hopefully that'll all change soon, eh?"

"Hm." Shepard agrees without commitment.

He continues on to Aria's private area where she once held court, and he takes the same familiar station Shepard remembers from her various dealings here during her Collector campaign. He produces a datapad and offers it to Shepard.

"This is all the notable leaders of the syndicates we currently operate and you'll be updated regularly on any major dealings or changes."

Shepard takes the datapad and barely glances at it.

"Garka..." she says, tapping his shoulder with the pad. "What do you _think_ is going on here?"

"When I saw that you were coming here, I presumed that you wanted to... let me be honest, Commander."

"I think that'd be best."

"There's a power vacuum here and it's not good for Omega. I'm doing my best but the edges are all are fraying, Commander. It won't be long until they become tears and everything turns to shit."

"What about the Talon?"

"Ha! They mean well and I wish them luck but they just haven't got the backing. Omega _needs _a strong leader, Commander."

"And you want me? Omega?"

"Shepard...?" Liara says then looks to Garka. "Leave us a moment, please, Garka."

"Of course."

"I can't consider this!" Shepard begins once Garka is out of hearing range.

"Think about it Shepard, what we used to talk about. Even now, with the Reapers gone, the Terminus Systems is still a problem. We can't just let it return to the badlands, pirates and privateers terrorising innocent cargo ships, slavers taking colonies, guns, drugs, murder and mayhem!"

"What were you just saying earlier about taking on things that are too big?"

"That was before I knew about this."

"At least Garka seems to want to progress."

"So? What do you think?"

"It _could _work... but..."

"But what? All roads lead to Omega in the Terminus Systems, what better place to start a campaign of unification than here?"

"You make it sound like a coup... and what about the Council? The Alliance? Earth? How am I supposed to justify this? Or even have time for it?" Shepard now expressing a ponderous face, "Hmm."

"What?" Liara asks.

Garka paces around the lower dance floor. Times had been good with Aria and he'd been not only disappointed to hear of her demise signalling the end of their work, but even surprised himself that he felt a little sad he won't share a drink or a laugh with her again. He feels that someone such as Commander Shepard would be ideal to whip Omega back into shape, and maybe even make improvements in conditions.

"Garka!" Shepard shouts down.

He hurries back up the short stairs to the private area.

"Well... this could work..." Shepard begins, "but with one minor adjustment."

Liara takes her place on the couch that was once Aria's throne and Shepard throws her the datapad, which she catches and begins reading nonchalantly.

"The little lamb? Ha! You gotta be kidding me!"

Liara's eyes narrow and she stands, stepping up into a punch to his head. The experienced hardened Garka doesn't flinch, thinking the young asari is not up to the job. His mistake, as Liara does not hesitate in following through, staggering the batarian with a good thud to his skull.

"Fuck!" he says, both in pain and surprise.

"Count yourself lucky I'm feeling generous because this is my first day at work, next time I won't be using a fist. Now! I want a DJ, some bartenders, dancers, and some fucking _life_ in this club. People need to remember that _this_ is the seat of the power on Omega and that there's a _new _rule."

"Of course, Doctor T'Soni." Garka says with a fluster. "I'll get the word out. And some dancers. Asari dancers or...?"

"Oh just get out for now, Garka."

"Yes, Doctor T'Soni, of course, Doctor T'Soni."

Garka scurries away.

"I think you enjoyed that." Shepard laughs.

"I don't know if I could keep it up."

"You'll be fine. It'll stop you from being that creepy recluse and give you something to do with all your Broker data."

"I'm not sure it's ethical using it like that."

"Says the new Queen of Omega, crime hub of the Terminus Systems. Go on. Say it."

"What?"

"The 'I am Omega' line. You'd better get used to it."

"Hm. Can't I have my own line?"

"Like what?"

"Ummm... something less arrogant, maybe?"

"I think that's part of the point but we can work on that."

"Hm."

Liara stands and looks out over the dance floor.

"I am Omega!" she says with drama and confidence.

"Ooh! I liked that! Do we have to get revellers in here so soon? We could at least have a play on the poles over there first."

"Shepard!"


	19. Chapter 19

A loud deep tone rings out across the plain, heralding the arrival. And migration.

Instinctively, a group of bipedal primitives begin to gather at the customary clearing, just as their ancestors have for generations. The young shadow their mothers, staying close so as not to be separated from the herd. The seasons have changed fast this year. The toxic rain that usually falls later in the season has come early. These creatures cannot survive the full force of this planet's harsh acid monsoons.

The tone booms out again, now louder, closer.

An elder of the tribe begins performing rites, wearing a headpiece made of twigs, shaped into the same form as the entity now blocking the sun, and there is another loud tone. The elder recites loudly upward towards his god, pleading in his native tongue for mercy and hope. Even he falls silent for a moment when the behemoth lands on the planet's surface, the scale of this titan awe inspiring, then continues, now turning to his people to give them the 'message'.

Another longer tone rings out and some begin to make their way up to the creature, the elder still ranting, aggressively grabbing anyone's attention to warn them of defying their saviour. Most just want to get their family to safety, unconcerned by his ravings. His words become more respectful when the bodies of this season's fallen are carried up. Old, sick, wounded, killed, all deaths are presented the same, as demanded.

A flap opens in the lower abdomen of the creature, large enough for these primitives to pass, which they begin doing, bringing the bodies 'aboard'. The last in is the elder, ensuring his words reach all who entered. With a last dramatic point to the sky with one of his sticks, he enters and the flap closes.

The massive beast ascends at a huge rate, reaching orbit in seconds, then onwards to pastures more suitable for its passengers, as they have done for millennia, nay millions of years. But this sapient colossus has noted, as its symbiotic lessers have evolved, the symbiosis has changed. No longer do they just herd in and out amongst feral grunts and dead eyes. They look at it. Assess it. Some even worship it. As they should.

There are some flowers on Earth that appear to produce normal blooms, but when viewed in the ultraviolet spectrum, have the form of a queen bee; enticing to a drone collecting nectar and unwittingly spreading pollen into the bargain, who views the world this way through its insect eyes. A curious and specific symbiosis. How did the flower know that the bee can see only in the ultraviolet spectrum, and to form its bloom in such a manner? Such oddities of nature are difficult to reverse engineer, but no doubt at some point, through some 'happy coincidence' of random mutation, just the right conditions existed. Who could say how specifically, but such a 'happy coincidence' existed at some point in the past of the colossus, and that of what were once its symbiotic partners. And partners they were until notions of pride and importance.

Arriving at a new paradise, the creature opens its flaps to let its 'children' run free. When they exit, they leave the dead as tribute and begin re-acquainting themselves with their new old home, gathering at a river bank. A final 'parp', and their symbiotic father returns to the skys with its energy-filled payload, to return again soon, as it always has.

The elder casually walks to a rock, then removes his headpiece and breathes in deep the fresh clean air, hinted with the pleasant odour of the lush greenery, padding his bare chest with his open hands. He sits and places his hands on his knees with a smile, certain and satisfied that his good work has ensured their safe passage for another season, despite these primitives having no comprehension of the scale of their migration.


	20. Chapter 20

The loud tone echoes.

This was a _good _season. All newborns and mothers survived childbirth, no-one was killed by a beast, the elderly remained fit. Even the 'shaman' is less harsh in his preaching, all filled with some sense of hope, not laden down this season with the bodies of their dead.

The colossus lands, beckons with its call and opens itself to the primitives. They file in amongst slaps on the back and laughing. Once inside the large ovoid space within that they travel in, the primitives wait. And wait. Their symbiotic father does not carry them away nor does it close the flap. The primitives discuss what is wrong. The shaman has already concluded this himself and does not hesitate in sharing his thoughts in the most dramatic of ways. There are no dead. To him, the solution is clear.

Some of the hunters of the tribe take exception to his reasoning and equal his drama, pushing and shoving starts amidst loud voices. They refuse to even discuss the notion of the action he is certain will save them. In the confusion and seeing the method of his solution, the shaman slyly shoves his sharpened stone tool into the gut of one of the hunters in a shameless sucker punch.

Shock registers across the hunter's face as he falls to his knees clutching his oozing stomach, the shaman remaining defiant, waving his tool at the hunters who back away a little, disturbed by the crazed look on his face. Seizing his chance to finish this, he brings his tool down onto the prone hunter's neck, sending him to the floor. Blood pools into some of the crevices of the floor, shining in the luminescence of the walls and after a few twitches, the hunter lies still. A female desperately wails, kneeling at his fallen body.

The sound of the flap closing is heard down the way and they are moving. Heads drop at what this all means while the shaman has darker messages to aggressively preach.


	21. Chapter 21

Mess Sergeant Rupert Gardner gives a final few wipes with his cloth to the insides of the waste disposal unit, pleased with the job, then closes the gleaming lid and gives the top couple of satisfied taps, then wipes the finger marks he just made and claps his hands.

"Ready for another day!" he shouts out.

Whistling, he goes to the large refrigerator, opens the door and taps his foot, while holding his chin.

"What today? What today...?" he ponders, pleased with the greater selection that Shepard had secured.

"Screw it! You can't go wrong with the classics!" he says as he begins taking eggs and cooked meats from the 'fridge, then bread from a dry store cupboard.

Jacob Taylor wanders into the mess.

"You're waaay too early, sir!" Gardner says cordially.

"I'm not looking for a cooked breakfast, just a few eggs if you can spare them?"

"You want 'em raw?"

"Yea! It's like nature's own protein pack." Jacob replies, with a slap to his firm stomach, "This body doesn't just take care of itself, you know."

"They're on the counter there, sir, help yourself. Gotta keep Shepard's team in tip top condition!"

"How you guys holding up down here?"

"We'll keep the wheels turning, don't you worry about us, sir. You just worry about getting to the bottom of the these abductions."

"Yea... Well thanks for the eggs."

"No worries, sir." Gardner says with a salute, then begins cracking eggs into a large bowl to whisk them for scrambled, whistling once again.

Jack bounds into the mess without even acknowledging Gardner and goes straight to the 'fridge to open it.

"Woah there, missy!" he shouts with a pointing finger. "You can't just go helping yourself. I've a whole ship to cater for here."

"I wanted some juice." she says, as though that explains it all.

"I haven't even set out the pitchers or the beakers yet."

"I wanted juice now."

Jack takes a large carton and swigs from it.

"Oh did you have to...?" Gardner says with frustration. "You may as well take the whole damn carton now!"

"I intended to."

"Well, shoo, shoo, shoo, I got work to do." he says trying to wave her away with his hands, until he is right in front of her.

Reapers, Collectors, pirates, that's what Gardner usually fears will take him. But standing in front of Jack, and her reaction to his attempted shoo'ing, he fears for his life right now. She looks almost through him, as though he is of no consequence, and it makes him back away with a slight flinch. Her work done, Jack turns to head nonchalantly back towards the life shaft with a swagger in her step. Gardner sighs with relief.

"Now _that _girl's daddy did _not _love her enough. I'm calling it now, yep." then returns to his work.

* * *

Faucets. It's as though they are designed to cause problems. Problems that give Gardner extra work to do around the place. He doesn't mind these sorts of menial jobs so much, at least he appears productive. Arriving at the ladies' shower block with his toolbox, the door is not locked but he knocks first regardless, then shouts, "Hello? Just Mess Sergeant Gardner, come to fix the faucets!" with no response.

He hits the panel on the door and it opens. Standing under one of the showers with her back to him is Samara, quite oblivious. Gardner's jaw drops a little at the fine form before him, the water trickling teasingly down the curves of her mottled blue skin. The sensible thing to do would be to just close the door and come back later, but Gardner has a schedule to keep, evening meals to prepare, further maintenance to perform, this will only throw all his plans off.

"Sorry, I did knock and call through. I'm here to fix the faucets." he says, causing Samara to spin, exposing all her modesty.

"Oh!" Gardner shouts, as he turns to avert his eyes.

"Oh. I am sorry. I did not hear you call. I was deep in contemplation as I cleansed myself. I shall leave you to your necessary work and do not worry, I am not vain or ashamed of what the Goddess has given me."

She casually takes a towel from the rack, wraps it around herself, picks up her clothes then leaves. Gardner shakes his head with a smile as he gets out his tools.

"One for the bank..." he chuckles to himself with a tap to his head with a finger.


End file.
